diff --git a/src/utils_subst.c b/src/utils_subst.c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils_subst.c
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/**
+ * collectd - src/utils_subst.c
+ * Copyright (C) 2008 Sebastian Harl
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ * Free Software Foundation; only version 2 of the License is applicable.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+ *
+ * Authors:
+ * Sebastian "tokkee" Harl <sh at tokkee.org>
+ **/
+
+/*
+ * This module provides functions for string substitution.
+ */
+
+#include "collectd.h"
+#include "common.h"
+
+char *subst (char *buf, size_t buflen, const char *string, int off1, int off2,
+ const char *replacement)
+{
+ char *buf_ptr = buf;
+ size_t len = buflen;
+
+ if ((NULL == buf) || (0 >= buflen) || (NULL == string)
+ || (0 > off1) || (0 > off2) || (off1 > off2)
+ || (NULL == replacement))
+ return NULL;
+
+ sstrncpy (buf_ptr, string, (off1 + 1 > buflen) ? buflen : off1 + 1);
+ buf_ptr += off1;
+ len -= off1;
+
+ if (0 >= len)
+ return buf;
+
+ sstrncpy (buf_ptr, replacement, len);
+ buf_ptr += strlen (replacement);
+ len -= strlen (replacement);
+
+ if (0 >= len)
+ return buf;
+
+ sstrncpy (buf_ptr, string + off2, len);
+ return buf;
+} /* subst */
+
+char *asubst (const char *string, int off1, int off2, const char *replacement)
+{
+ char *buf;
+ int len;
+
+ char *ret;
+
+ if ((NULL == string) || (0 > off1) || (0 > off2) || (off1 > off2)
+ || (NULL ==replacement))
+ return NULL;
+
+ len = off1 + strlen (replacement) + strlen (string) - off2 + 1;
+
+ buf = (char *)malloc (len);
+ if (NULL == buf)
+ return NULL;
+
+ ret = subst (buf, len, string, off1, off2, replacement);
+ if (NULL == ret)
+ free (buf);
+ return ret;
+} /* asubst */
+
+/* vim: set sw=4 ts=4 tw=78 noexpandtab : */
+