2 files changed, 8 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/libutil/serialise.cc b/src/libutil/serialise.cc
index f8e9d00c12b8..f136a13248ba 100644
--- a/src/libutil/serialise.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/serialise.cc
@@ -248,6 +248,13 @@ Source & operator >> (Source & in, string & s)
 }
 
 
+Source & operator >> (Source & in, unsigned int & n)
+{
+    n = readInt(in);
+    return in;
+}
+
+
 template<class T> T readStrings(Source & source)
 {
     unsigned int count = readInt(source);
diff --git a/src/libutil/serialise.hh b/src/libutil/serialise.hh
index 97ac3e912f85..979ff849fcaf 100644
--- a/src/libutil/serialise.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/serialise.hh
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ string readString(Source & source);
 template<class T> T readStrings(Source & source);
 
 Source & operator >> (Source & in, string & s);
+Source & operator >> (Source & in, unsigned int & n);
 
 
 MakeError(SerialisationError, Error)