diff --git a/ipmitool/include/ipmitool/helper.h b/ipmitool/include/ipmitool/helper.h
index 1388d27..984b1f9 100644
--- a/ipmitool/include/ipmitool/helper.h
+++ b/ipmitool/include/ipmitool/helper.h
@@ -72,8 +72,11 @@ int str2int(const char * str, int32_t * int_ptr);
 int str2uint(const char * str, uint32_t * uint_ptr);
 int str2short(const char * str, int16_t * shrt_ptr);
 int str2ushort(const char * str, uint16_t * ushrt_ptr);
+int str2char(const char * str, int8_t * chr_ptr);
 int str2uchar(const char * str, uint8_t * uchr_ptr);
 
+int is_fru_id(const char *argv_ptr, uint8_t *fru_id_ptr);
+
 uint16_t str2val(const char * str, const struct valstr * vs);
 void print_valstr(const struct valstr * vs, const char * title, int loglevel);
 void print_valstr_2col(const struct valstr * vs, const char * title, int loglevel);
diff --git a/ipmitool/lib/helper.c b/ipmitool/lib/helper.c
index 49d5890..6d7e442 100644
--- a/ipmitool/lib/helper.c
+++ b/ipmitool/lib/helper.c
@@ -334,6 +334,31 @@ int str2ushort(const char * str, uint16_t * ushrt_ptr)
 	return 0;
 } /* str2ushort(...) */
 
+/* str2char - safely convert string to int8
+ *
+ * @str: source string to convert from
+ * @chr_ptr: pointer where to store result
+ *
+ * returns zero on success
+ * returns (-1) if one of args is NULL, (-2) or (-3) if conversion fails
+ */
+int str2char(const char *str, int8_t * chr_ptr)
+{
+	int rc = (-3);
+	int64_t arg_long = 0;
+	if (!str || !chr_ptr) {
+		return (-1);
+	}
+	if ((rc = str2long(str, &arg_long)) != 0) {
+		*chr_ptr = 0;
+		return rc;
+	}
+	if (arg_long < INT8_MIN || arg_long > INT8_MAX) {
+		return (-3);
+	}
+	return 0;
+} /* str2char(...) */
+
 /* str2uchar - safely convert string to uint8
  *
  * @str: source string to convert from
@@ -642,3 +667,29 @@ ipmi_start_daemon(struct ipmi_intf *intf)
 	dup(0);
 	dup(0);
 }
+
+/* is_fru_id - wrapper for str-2-int FRU ID conversion. Message is printed
+ * on error.
+ * FRU ID range: <0..255>
+ *
+ * @argv_ptr: source string to convert from; usually argv
+ * @fru_id_ptr: pointer where to store result
+ *
+ * returns zero on success
+ * returns (-1) on error and message is printed on STDERR
+ */
+int
+is_fru_id(const char *argv_ptr, uint8_t *fru_id_ptr)
+{
+	if (!argv_ptr || !fru_id_ptr) {
+		lprintf(LOG_ERR, "is_fru_id(): invalid argument(s).");
+		return (-1);
+	}
+
+	if (str2uchar(argv_ptr, fru_id_ptr) == 0) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	lprintf(LOG_ERR, "FRU ID '%s' is either invalid or out of range.",
+			argv_ptr);
+	return (-1);
+} /* is_fru_id(...) */
diff --git a/ipmitool/lib/ipmi_fru.c b/ipmitool/lib/ipmi_fru.c
index aaf2e5e..944b8ad 100644
--- a/ipmitool/lib/ipmi_fru.c
+++ b/ipmitool/lib/ipmi_fru.c
@@ -191,31 +191,6 @@ char * get_fru_area_str(uint8_t * data, uint32_t * offset)
 	return str;
 }
 
-/* is_fru_id - wrapper for str-2-int FRU ID conversion. Message is printed
- * on error.
- *
- * @argv_ptr: source string to convert from; usually argv
- * @fru_id_ptr: pointer where to store result
- *
- * returns zero on success
- * returns (-1) on error and message is printed on STDERR
- */
-int
-is_fru_id(const char *argv_ptr, uint8_t *fru_id_ptr)
-{
-	if (!argv_ptr || !fru_id_ptr) {
-		lprintf(LOG_ERR, "is_fru_id(): invalid argument(s).");
-		return (-1);
-	}
-
-	if (str2uchar(argv_ptr, fru_id_ptr) == 0) {
-		return 0;
-	}
-	lprintf(LOG_ERR, "FRU ID '%s' is either invalid or out of range.",
-			argv_ptr);
-	return (-1);
-} /* is_fru_id(...) */
-
 /* is_valid_filename - checks file/path supplied by user
  *
  * input_filename - user input string