diff --git a/examples/read_rsa_key.c b/examples/read_rsa_key.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..2b53f035ff2a4f3ee26e6e62197d0b315af93522
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/read_rsa_key.c
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/* Used by the rsa example programs. */
+
+/* nettle, low-level cryptographics library
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2002, 2007 Niels Möller
+ *  
+ * The nettle library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your
+ * option) any later version.
+ * 
+ * The nettle library 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 Lesser General Public
+ * License for more details.
+ * 
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with the nettle library; see the file COPYING.LIB.  If not, write to
+ * the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston,
+ * MA 02111-1307, USA.
+ */
+
+#if HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include "config.h"
+#endif
+
+#include "io.h"
+#include "rsa.h"
+
+/* Split out from io.c, since it depends on hogweed. */
+int
+read_rsa_key(const char *name,
+	     struct rsa_public_key *pub,
+	     struct rsa_private_key *priv)
+{
+  unsigned length;
+  char *buffer;
+  int res;
+  
+  length = read_file(name, 0, &buffer);
+  if (!length)
+    return 0;
+
+  res = rsa_keypair_from_sexp(pub, priv, 0, length, buffer);
+  free(buffer);
+
+  return res;
+}