diff --git a/lib/tpm2_attr_util.c b/lib/tpm2_attr_util.c
index a9eaf434b..857500ed8 100644
--- a/lib/tpm2_attr_util.c
+++ b/lib/tpm2_attr_util.c
@@ -632,3 +632,13 @@ char *tpm2_attr_util_nv_attrtostr(TPMA_NV nvattrs) {
 char *tpm2_attr_util_obj_attrtostr(TPMA_OBJECT objattrs) {
     return tpm2_attr_util_common_attrtostr(objattrs.val, obj_attr_table, ARRAY_LEN(obj_attr_table));
 }
+
+bool tpm2_attr_util_obj_from_optarg(char *argvalue, TPMA_OBJECT *objattrs) {
+
+    bool res = tpm2_util_string_to_uint32(argvalue, &objattrs->val);
+    if (!res) {
+        res = tpm2_attr_util_obj_strtoattr(argvalue, objattrs);
+    }
+
+    return res;
+}
diff --git a/lib/tpm2_attr_util.h b/lib/tpm2_attr_util.h
index 524c67274..2487982d8 100644
--- a/lib/tpm2_attr_util.h
+++ b/lib/tpm2_attr_util.h
@@ -62,6 +62,19 @@ bool tpm2_attr_util_nv_strtoattr(char *attribute_list, TPMA_NV *nvattrs);
  */
 bool tpm2_attr_util_obj_strtoattr(char *attribute_list, TPMA_OBJECT *objattrs);
 
+/**
+ * Converts a numerical or friendly string described object attribute into the
+ * TPMA_OBJECT. Similar to tpm2_alg_util_from_optarg().
+ * @param argvalue
+ *  Either a raw numeric for a UINT32 or a friendly name object attribute list
+ *  as in tpm2_attr_util_nv_strtoattr().
+ * @param objattrs
+ *  The converted bits for a TPMA_OBJECT
+ * @return
+ *  true on success or false on error.
+ */
+bool tpm2_attr_util_obj_from_optarg(char *argvalue, TPMA_OBJECT *objattrs);
+
 /**
  * Converts a TPMA_NV structure to a friendly name style string.
  * @param nvattrs
diff --git a/test/unit/test_tpm2_attr_util.c b/test/unit/test_tpm2_attr_util.c
index 11ed54845..892bd2b48 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_tpm2_attr_util.c
+++ b/test/unit/test_tpm2_attr_util.c
@@ -356,6 +356,22 @@ static void test_tpm2_attr_util_obj_strtoattr_token_unknown(void **state) {
     res = tpm2_attr_util_obj_strtoattr(arg1, &objattrrs);
     assert_false(res);
 }
+
+static void test_tpm2_attr_util_obj_from_optarg_good(void **state) {
+    (void) state;
+
+    TPMA_OBJECT objattrs = { .val = 0, };
+    bool res = tpm2_attr_util_obj_from_optarg("0x00000002", &objattrs);
+    assert_true(res);
+    assert_int_equal(0x02, objattrs.val);
+
+    objattrs.val = 0;
+    char buf[] = "fixedtpm";
+    res = tpm2_attr_util_obj_from_optarg(buf, &objattrs);
+    assert_true(res);
+    assert_int_equal(TPMA_OBJECT_FIXEDTPM, objattrs.val);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     (void) argc;
     (void) argv;
@@ -464,6 +480,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 
             /* negative tests */
             cmocka_unit_test(test_tpm2_attr_util_obj_strtoattr_token_unknown),
+
+            /* test from an optarg */
+            cmocka_unit_test(test_tpm2_attr_util_obj_from_optarg_good)
     };
     return cmocka_run_group_tests(tests, NULL, NULL);
 }