diff --git a/src/ircmsgs.py b/src/ircmsgs.py
index edf7a52d5..e01ce70ea 100644
--- a/src/ircmsgs.py
+++ b/src/ircmsgs.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ __revision__ = "$Id$"
 import fix
 
 import re
+import time
 import string
 
 import conf
@@ -225,6 +226,27 @@ def unAction(msg):
     assert isAction(msg)
     return _unactionre.match(msg.args[1]).group(1)
 
+def _escape(s):
+    s = s.replace('&', '&')
+    s = s.replace('"', '"')
+    s = s.replace('<', '&lt;')
+    s = s.replace('>', '&gt;')
+    return s
+
+def toXml(msg, pretty=True, includeTime=True):
+    assert msg.command == _escape(msg.command)
+    L = []
+    L.append('<msg command="%s" prefix="%s"'%(msg.command,_escape(msg.prefix)))
+    if includeTime:
+        L.append(' time="%s"' % time.time())
+    L.append('>')
+    for arg in msg.args:
+        if pretty:
+            L.append('\n    ')
+        L.append('<arg>%s</arg>' % _escape(arg))
+    L.append('</msg>')
+    return ''.join(L)
+
 def prettyPrint(msg, addRecipients=False):
     """Provides a client-friendly string form for messages.