diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h
index b83ec1bda6df0e8b4c9644e8bf2c495c0ff00684..bc9330b809e484ab99f760abd3429d088a653d91 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h
@@ -495,6 +495,23 @@ dns_message_findname(dns_message_t *msg, dns_section_t section,
  *				   type does not.
  */
 
+dns_result_t
+dns_message_findtype(dns_name_t *name, dns_rdatatype_t type,
+		     dns_rdatatype_t covers, dns_rdataset_t **rdataset);
+/*
+ * Search the name for the specified type.  If it is found, *rdataset is
+ * filled in with a pointer to that rdataset.
+ *
+ * Requires:
+ *	if '**rdataset' is non-NULL, *rdataset needs to be NULL.
+ *
+ *	'type' be a valid type, and NOT dns_rdatatype_any.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ *	DNS_R_SUCCESS		-- all is well.
+ *	DNS_R_NOTFOUND		-- the desired type does not exist.
+ */
+
 void
 dns_message_movename(dns_message_t *msg, dns_name_t *name,
 		     dns_section_t fromsection,
diff --git a/lib/dns/message.c b/lib/dns/message.c
index 20556095bbb54d6f883b3710151b2b72ade5e8c4..1815336578459af156e248c3c88e68cecc392087 100644
--- a/lib/dns/message.c
+++ b/lib/dns/message.c
@@ -682,12 +682,16 @@ findname(dns_name_t **foundname, dns_name_t *target, dns_namelist_t *section)
 	return (DNS_R_NOTFOUND);
 }
 
-static dns_result_t
-findtype(dns_rdataset_t **rdataset, dns_name_t *name, dns_rdatatype_t type,
-	 dns_rdatatype_t covers)
+dns_result_t
+dns_message_findtype(dns_name_t *name, dns_rdatatype_t type,
+		     dns_rdatatype_t covers, dns_rdataset_t **rdataset)
 {
 	dns_rdataset_t *curr;
 
+	if (rdataset != NULL) {
+		REQUIRE(*rdataset == NULL);
+	}
+
 	for (curr = ISC_LIST_TAIL(name->list) ;
 	     curr != NULL ;
 	     curr = ISC_LIST_PREV(curr, link)) {
@@ -890,7 +894,7 @@ getquestions(isc_buffer_t *source, dns_message_t *msg, dns_decompress_t *dctx)
 		/*
 		 * Can't ask the same question twice.
 		 */
-		result = findtype(NULL, name, rdtype, 0);
+		result = dns_message_findtype(name, rdtype, 0, NULL);
 		if (result == DNS_R_SUCCESS)
 			return (DNS_R_FORMERR);
 
@@ -1091,8 +1095,11 @@ getsection(isc_buffer_t *source, dns_message_t *msg, dns_decompress_t *dctx,
 		if (preserve_order || msg->opcode == dns_opcode_update ||
 		    skip_search)
 			result = DNS_R_NOTFOUND;
-		else
-			result = findtype(&rdataset, name, rdtype, covers);
+		else {
+			rdataset = NULL;
+			result = dns_message_findtype(name, rdtype, covers,
+						      &rdataset);
+		}
 
 		/*
 		 * If we found an rdataset that matches, we need to
@@ -1602,7 +1609,7 @@ dns_message_findname(dns_message_t *msg, dns_section_t section,
 	if (type == dns_rdatatype_any)
 		return (DNS_R_SUCCESS);
 
-	result = findtype(rdataset, foundname, type, covers);
+	result = dns_message_findtype(foundname, type, covers, rdataset);
 	if (result == DNS_R_NOTFOUND)
 		return (DNS_R_NXRDATASET);