diff --git a/src/gui/core/window_builder.cpp b/src/gui/core/window_builder.cpp
index 67d516e247a5..74429ae061a5 100644
--- a/src/gui/core/window_builder.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/core/window_builder.cpp
@@ -219,6 +219,15 @@ builder_widget_ptr create_builder_widget(const config& cfg)
 	FAIL("Unknown widget type " + cfg.ordered_begin()->key);
 }
 
+widget* build_single_widget_instance_helper(const std::string& type, const config& cfg)
+{
+	const auto& iter = builder_widget_lookup().find(type);
+	VALIDATE(iter != builder_widget_lookup().end(), "Invalid widget type '" + type + "'");
+
+	widget_builder_func_t& builder = iter->second;
+	return builder(cfg)->build();
+}
+
 /*WIKI
  * @page = GUIToolkitWML
  * @order = 1_window
diff --git a/src/gui/core/window_builder.hpp b/src/gui/core/window_builder.hpp
index 604b7c517e75..2909ab0cfc1e 100644
--- a/src/gui/core/window_builder.hpp
+++ b/src/gui/core/window_builder.hpp
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ using widget_builder_func_t = std::function<builder_widget_ptr(config)>;
 void
 register_builder_widget(const std::string& id, widget_builder_func_t functor);
 
-
 /**
  * Create a widget builder.
  *
@@ -116,6 +115,31 @@ builder_widget_ptr build_widget(const config& cfg)
 	return std::make_shared<T>(cfg);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Helper function to implement @ref build_single_widget_instance. This keeps the main
+ * logic in the implementation despite said function being a template and therefor
+ * needing to be fully implemented in the declaration.
+ */
+widget* build_single_widget_instance_helper(const std::string& type, const config& cfg);
+
+/**
+ * Builds a single widget instance of the given type with the specified attributes.
+ *
+ * This should be used in place of creating a widget object directly, as it
+ * allows the widget-specific builder code to be executed.
+ *
+ * @tparam                        The final widget type. The widget pointer will be
+ *                                cast to this.
+ *
+ * @param type                    String ID of the widget type.
+ * @param cfg                     Data config to pass to the widget's builder.
+ */
+template<typename T>
+T* build_single_widget_instance(const std::string& type, const config& cfg = config())
+{
+	return dynamic_cast<T*>(build_single_widget_instance_helper(type, cfg));
+}
+
 struct builder_grid : public builder_widget
 {
 public: