diff --git a/code/Material/MaterialSystem.cpp b/code/Material/MaterialSystem.cpp
index b4af3339f..116ed1f7b 100644
--- a/code/Material/MaterialSystem.cpp
+++ b/code/Material/MaterialSystem.cpp
@@ -401,6 +401,12 @@ aiReturn aiGetMaterialString(const aiMaterial *pMat,
     return AI_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Get a c-like string fron an aiString
+const char *aiGetStringC_Str(const aiString *str) {
+	return str->data;
+}
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Get the number of textures on a particular texture stack
 unsigned int aiGetMaterialTextureCount(const C_STRUCT aiMaterial *pMat, C_ENUM aiTextureType type) {