diff --git a/src/scripting/lua_common.cpp b/src/scripting/lua_common.cpp
index 62442d9e55e5..6dd563a3ed0d 100644
--- a/src/scripting/lua_common.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/lua_common.cpp
@@ -595,6 +595,17 @@ t_string luaW_checktstring(lua_State *L, int index)
 	return result;
 }
 
+bool luaW_isstring(lua_State* L, int index)
+{
+	if(lua_isstring(L, index)) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	if(lua_isuserdata(L, index) && luaL_testudata(L, index, tstringKey)) {
+		return true;
+	}
+	return false;
+}
+
 void luaW_filltable(lua_State *L, const config& cfg)
 {
 	if (!lua_checkstack(L, LUA_MINSTACK))
diff --git a/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp b/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp
index 635c67f1dadd..8f4da0220be9 100644
--- a/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp
+++ b/src/scripting/lua_common.hpp
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ bool luaW_totstring(lua_State *L, int index, t_string &str);
  */
 t_string luaW_checktstring(lua_State *L, int index);
 
+/*
+ * Test if a scalar is either a plain or translatable string.
+ * Also returns true if it's a number since that's convertible to string.
+ */
+bool luaW_isstring(lua_State* L, int index);
+
 /**
  * Converts a config object to a Lua table.
  * The destination table should be at the top of the stack on entry. It is