diff --git a/path-list.c b/path-list.c
index 3d83b7ba9e..92e5cf20fe 100644
--- a/path-list.c
+++ b/path-list.c
@@ -102,3 +102,33 @@ void print_path_list(const char *text, const struct path_list *p)
 	for (i = 0; i < p->nr; i++)
 		printf("%s:%p\n", p->items[i].path, p->items[i].util);
 }
+
+struct path_list_item *path_list_append(const char *path, struct path_list *list)
+{
+	ALLOC_GROW(list->items, list->nr + 1, list->alloc);
+	list->items[list->nr].path =
+		list->strdup_paths ? xstrdup(path) : (char *)path;
+	return list->items + list->nr++;
+}
+
+static int cmp_items(const void *a, const void *b)
+{
+	const struct path_list_item *one = a;
+	const struct path_list_item *two = b;
+	return strcmp(one->path, two->path);
+}
+
+void sort_path_list(struct path_list *list)
+{
+	qsort(list->items, list->nr, sizeof(*list->items), cmp_items);
+}
+
+int unsorted_path_list_has_path(struct path_list *list, const char *path)
+{
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; i < list->nr; i++)
+		if (!strcmp(path, list->items[i].path))
+			return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/path-list.h b/path-list.h
index 5931e2cc0c..ca2cbbaa4d 100644
--- a/path-list.h
+++ b/path-list.h
@@ -13,10 +13,16 @@ struct path_list
 };
 
 void print_path_list(const char *text, const struct path_list *p);
-
-int path_list_has_path(const struct path_list *list, const char *path);
 void path_list_clear(struct path_list *list, int free_util);
+
+/* Use these functions only on sorted lists: */
+int path_list_has_path(const struct path_list *list, const char *path);
 struct path_list_item *path_list_insert(const char *path, struct path_list *list);
 struct path_list_item *path_list_lookup(const char *path, struct path_list *list);
 
+/* Use these functions only on unsorted lists: */
+struct path_list_item *path_list_append(const char *path, struct path_list *list);
+void sort_path_list(struct path_list *list);
+int unsorted_path_list_has_path(struct path_list *list, const char *path);
+
 #endif /* PATH_LIST_H */