diff --git a/newbrt/kv-pair.h b/newbrt/kv-pair.h
index b03c7fed1d0..0fc538f6e1d 100644
--- a/newbrt/kv-pair.h
+++ b/newbrt/kv-pair.h
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ struct kv_pair {
     char key[];
 };
 
+/* return the size of a kv pair */
+static inline int kv_pair_size(struct kv_pair *pair) {
+    return sizeof (struct kv_pair) + pair->keylen + pair->vallen;
+}
+
 static inline void kv_pair_init(struct kv_pair *pair, void *key, int keylen, void *val, int vallen) {
 
     pair->keylen = keylen;