diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index 9dfebc059..7560c02ba 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <glib.h>
 
+#include <assert.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -349,6 +350,15 @@ void config_read_file(const char *file)
 	fclose(fp);
 }
 
+void
+config_add_param(const char *name, struct config_param *param)
+{
+	struct config_entry *entry = config_entry_get(name);
+	assert(entry != NULL);
+
+	entry->params = g_slist_append(entry->params, param);
+}
+
 struct config_param *
 config_get_next_param(const char *name, const struct config_param * last)
 {
diff --git a/src/conf.h b/src/conf.h
index 42ac6f228..5e191815f 100644
--- a/src/conf.h
+++ b/src/conf.h
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ void config_global_finish(void);
 
 void config_read_file(const char *file);
 
+/**
+ * Adds a new configuration parameter.  The name must be registered
+ * with registerConfigParam().
+ */
+void
+config_add_param(const char *name, struct config_param *param);
+
 /* don't free the returned value
    set _last_ to NULL to get first entry */
 struct config_param *