diff --git a/keywordset.c b/keywordset.c
index 374d6ab8..1ce14df3 100644
--- a/keywordset.c
+++ b/keywordset.c
@@ -115,6 +115,21 @@ void keywordset_update(struct keywordset *kws, char *input) {
     keywordset_update_phase(kws, input, PHASE_UPDATE);
 }
 
+void keywordset_add(struct keywordset *kws, char *input) {
+    char *c=input;
+    char *name_start;
+    while (*c) {
+        while (*c && isspace(*c))
+            c++;
+        if (*c) {
+            name_start=c++;
+            while (*c && !isspace(*c))
+                c++;
+            add_name(kws, name_start, c-name_start);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 struct keywordset *keywordset_new(char *input) {
     struct keywordset *kws = xmalloc(sizeof(*kws));
     kws->nr_slots = KEYWORDSET_INITIAL_SLOTS;
diff --git a/keywordset.h b/keywordset.h
index 7484235b..26b60b02 100644
--- a/keywordset.h
+++ b/keywordset.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 struct keywordset *keywordset_new(char *input);
 void keywordset_update(struct keywordset *kws, char *input);
+void keywordset_add(struct keywordset *kws, char *input);
 char *keywordset_get(struct keywordset *kws);
 int keywordset_ismember(struct keywordset *kws, char *name);
 void keywordset_purge(struct keywordset *kws);