diff --git a/include/lokinet/lokinet_misc.h b/include/lokinet/lokinet_misc.h
index dea41f9ba..fa20911e4 100644
--- a/include/lokinet/lokinet_misc.h
+++ b/include/lokinet/lokinet_misc.h
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ extern "C"
   int EXPORT
   lokinet_log_level(const char*);
 
+  /// @brief take in hex and turn it into base32z
+  /// @return value must be free()'d later
+  char* EXPORT
+  lokinet_hex_to_base32z(const char* hex);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/llarp/lokinet_shared.cpp b/llarp/lokinet_shared.cpp
index 0766be0f4..3020889e2 100644
--- a/llarp/lokinet_shared.cpp
+++ b/llarp/lokinet_shared.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 
 #include <llarp/util/logging/buffer.hpp>
 
+#include <oxenmq/base32z.h>
+
 #include <mutex>
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
@@ -546,6 +548,13 @@ extern "C"
     return id;
   }
 
+  char* EXPORT
+  lokinet_hex_to_base32z(const char* hex)
+  {
+    const auto base32z = oxenmq::to_base32z(oxenmq::from_hex(std::string{hex}));
+    return strdup(base32z.c_str());
+  }
+
   void EXPORT
   lokinet_close_stream(int stream_id, struct lokinet_context* ctx)
   {