diff --git a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/Roster.java b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/Roster.java
index 95846af4f..bff3ab3f5 100644
--- a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/Roster.java
+++ b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/Roster.java
@@ -317,6 +317,55 @@ public class Roster {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the roster entry associated with the given XMPP address or
+     * <tt>null</tt> if the user is not an entry in the roster.
+     *
+     * @param user the XMPP address of the user (eg "jsmith@example.com").
+     * @return the roster entry or <tt>null</tt> if it does not exist.
+     */
+    public RosterEntry getEntry(String user) {
+        if (user == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        // Roster entries never include a resource so remove the resource
+        // if it's a part of the XMPP address.
+        user = StringUtils.parseBareAddress(user);
+        synchronized (entries) {
+            for (Iterator i=entries.iterator(); i.hasNext(); ) {
+                RosterEntry entry = (RosterEntry)i.next();
+                if (entry.getUser().equals(user)) {
+                    return entry;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns true if the specified XMPP address is an entry in the roster.
+     *
+     * @param user the XMPP address of the user (eg "jsmith@example.com").
+     * @return true if the XMPP address is an entry in the roster.
+     */
+    public boolean contains(String user) {
+        if (user == null) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        // Roster entries never include a resource so remove the resource
+        // if it's a part of the XMPP address.
+        user = StringUtils.parseBareAddress(user);
+        synchronized (entries) {
+            for (Iterator i=entries.iterator(); i.hasNext(); ) {
+                RosterEntry entry = (RosterEntry)i.next();
+                if (entry.getUser().equals(user)) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the roster group with the specified name, or <tt>null</tt> if the
      * group doesn't exist.
diff --git a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/RosterGroup.java b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/RosterGroup.java
index 630967b95..b9d734caa 100644
--- a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/RosterGroup.java
+++ b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/RosterGroup.java
@@ -131,6 +131,31 @@ public class RosterGroup {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the roster entry associated with the given XMPP address or
+     * <tt>null</tt> if the user is not an entry in the group.
+     *
+     * @param user the XMPP address of the user (eg "jsmith@example.com").
+     * @return the roster entry or <tt>null</tt> if it does not exist in the group.
+     */
+    public RosterEntry getEntry(String user) {
+        if (user == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        // Roster entries never include a resource so remove the resource
+        // if it's a part of the XMPP address.
+        user = StringUtils.parseBareAddress(user);
+        synchronized (entries) {
+            for (Iterator i=entries.iterator(); i.hasNext(); ) {
+                RosterEntry entry = (RosterEntry)i.next();
+                if (entry.getUser().equals(user)) {
+                    return entry;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns true if the specified entry is part of this group.
      *