diff --git a/lib/krb5/context.c b/lib/krb5/context.c
index 3e941fb8e..07ddd7daa 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/context.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/context.c
@@ -89,3 +89,25 @@ krb5_get_default_in_tkt_etypes(krb5_context context,
   return 0;
 }
 
+const char *
+krb5_get_err_text(krb5_context context, long code)
+{
+    const char *p = com_right(context->et_list, code);
+    if(p == NULL)
+	p = strerror(code);
+    return p;
+}
+
+void
+krb5_init_ets(krb5_context context)
+{
+    if(context->et_list == NULL){
+	initialize_krb5_error_table(&context->et_list);
+#if 0
+	initialize_kv5m_error_table(&context->et_list);
+	initialize_kdb5_error_table(&context->et_list);
+#endif
+	initialize_asn1_error_table(&context->et_list);
+	initialize_hdb_error_table(&context->et_list);
+    }
+}