diff --git a/include/xkbrules.h b/include/xkbrules.h
index 8832c01e2..ab5b4b266 100644
--- a/include/xkbrules.h
+++ b/include/xkbrules.h
@@ -98,6 +98,13 @@ extern _X_EXPORT Bool XkbRF_LoadRules(FILE * /* file */ ,
                                       XkbRF_RulesPtr    /* rules */
     );
 
+extern _X_EXPORT Bool XkbRF_LoadRulesByName(char * /* base */ ,
+                                            char * /* locale */ ,
+                                            XkbRF_RulesPtr      /* rules */
+    );
+
+/***====================================================================***/
+
 extern _X_EXPORT XkbRF_RulesPtr XkbRF_Create(void);
 
 extern _X_EXPORT void XkbRF_Free(XkbRF_RulesPtr /* rules */ ,
diff --git a/xkb/maprules.c b/xkb/maprules.c
index a324c67a0..0b6c107ae 100644
--- a/xkb/maprules.c
+++ b/xkb/maprules.c
@@ -963,6 +963,37 @@ XkbRF_LoadRules(FILE * file, XkbRF_RulesPtr rules)
     return TRUE;
 }
 
+Bool
+XkbRF_LoadRulesByName(char *base, char *locale, XkbRF_RulesPtr rules)
+{
+    FILE *file;
+    char buf[PATH_MAX];
+    Bool ok;
+
+    if ((!base) || (!rules))
+        return FALSE;
+    if (locale) {
+        if (snprintf(buf, PATH_MAX, "%s-%s", base, locale) >= PATH_MAX)
+            return FALSE;
+    }
+    else {
+        if (strlen(base) + 1 > PATH_MAX)
+            return FALSE;
+        strcpy(buf, base);
+    }
+
+    file = fopen(buf, "r");
+    if ((!file) && (locale)) {  /* fallback if locale was specified */
+        strcpy(buf, base);
+        file = fopen(buf, "r");
+    }
+    if (!file)
+        return FALSE;
+    ok = XkbRF_LoadRules(file, rules);
+    fclose(file);
+    return ok;
+}
+
 /***====================================================================***/
 
 XkbRF_RulesPtr