diff --git a/util.h b/util.h
index 2df67b73df..60dc04e961 100644
--- a/util.h
+++ b/util.h
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ static inline const char* strnull(const char *s) {
         return s ? s : "(null)";
 }
 
+static inline const char *strna(const char *s) {
+        return s ? s : "n/a";
+}
+
+static inline bool is_path_absolute(const char *p) {
+        return *p == '/';
+}
+
 bool endswith(const char *s, const char *postfix);
 bool startswith(const char *s, const char *prefix);