diff --git a/r5dev/engine/net.cpp b/r5dev/engine/net.cpp
index b483cd08..498c186c 100644
--- a/r5dev/engine/net.cpp
+++ b/r5dev/engine/net.cpp
@@ -178,6 +178,19 @@ void NET_RemoveChannel(CClient* pClient, int nIndex, const char* szReason, uint8
 	g_ServerPlayer[nIndex].Reset();                                 // Reset ServerPlayer slot.
 #endif // !CLIENT_DLL
 }
+
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Purpose: reads the net message type from buffer
+// Input  : &outType - 
+//			&buffer - 
+// Output : true on success, false otherwise
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+bool NET_ReadMessageType(int* outType, bf_read* buffer)
+{
+	*outType = buffer->ReadUBitLong(NETMSG_TYPE_BITS);
+	return !buffer->IsOverflowed();
+}
+
 #endif // !NETCONSOLE
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/r5dev/engine/net.h b/r5dev/engine/net.h
index 616b4727..51e1763c 100644
--- a/r5dev/engine/net.h
+++ b/r5dev/engine/net.h
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ void NET_GenerateKey();
 void NET_PrintFunc(const char* fmt, ...);
 void NET_RemoveChannel(CClient* pClient, int nIndex, const char* szReason, uint8_t bBadRep, bool bRemoveNow);
 
+bool NET_ReadMessageType(int* outType, bf_read* buffer);
+
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 extern netadr_t* g_pNetAdr;
 extern netkey_t* g_pNetKey;