diff --git a/common/image.c b/common/image.c
index e9095f4f5b6b5b154eab5abeb3ff07469760da0a..af155b229b9dc2b5c5268732060860055d033a84 100644
--- a/common/image.c
+++ b/common/image.c
@@ -583,6 +583,74 @@ const table_entry_t *get_table_entry(const table_entry_t *table, int id)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static const char *unknown_msg(enum ih_category category)
+{
+	static char msg[30];
+
+	strcpy(msg, "Unknown ");
+	strcat(msg, table_info[category].desc);
+
+	return msg;
+}
+
+/**
+ * get_cat_table_entry_name - translate entry id to long name
+ * @category: category to look up (enum ih_category)
+ * @id: entry id to be translated
+ *
+ * This will scan the translation table trying to find the entry that matches
+ * the given id.
+ *
+ * @retur long entry name if translation succeeds; error string on failure
+ */
+const char *genimg_get_cat_name(enum ih_category category, uint id)
+{
+	const table_entry_t *entry;
+
+	entry = get_table_entry(table_info[category].table, id);
+	if (!entry)
+		return unknown_msg(category);
+#if defined(USE_HOSTCC) || !defined(CONFIG_NEEDS_MANUAL_RELOC)
+	return entry->lname;
+#else
+	return entry->lname + gd->reloc_off;
+#endif
+}
+
+/**
+ * get_cat_table_entry_short_name - translate entry id to short name
+ * @category: category to look up (enum ih_category)
+ * @id: entry id to be translated
+ *
+ * This will scan the translation table trying to find the entry that matches
+ * the given id.
+ *
+ * @retur short entry name if translation succeeds; error string on failure
+ */
+const char *genimg_get_cat_short_name(enum ih_category category, uint id)
+{
+	const table_entry_t *entry;
+
+	entry = get_table_entry(table_info[category].table, id);
+	if (!entry)
+		return unknown_msg(category);
+#if defined(USE_HOSTCC) || !defined(CONFIG_NEEDS_MANUAL_RELOC)
+	return entry->sname;
+#else
+	return entry->sname + gd->reloc_off;
+#endif
+}
+
+int genimg_get_cat_count(enum ih_category category)
+{
+	return table_info[category].count;
+}
+
+const char *genimg_get_cat_desc(enum ih_category category)
+{
+	return table_info[category].desc;
+}
+
 /**
  * get_table_entry_name - translate entry id to long name
  * @table: pointer to a translation table for entries of a specific type
diff --git a/include/image.h b/include/image.h
index 5879ebcd7a567d483a2b7c7c92327553b0ce4c1d..2a5b5605756e7bfb556cd7d9862936b6ea33d02d 100644
--- a/include/image.h
+++ b/include/image.h
@@ -478,6 +478,40 @@ const char *genimg_get_comp_name(uint8_t comp);
  */
 const char *genimg_get_comp_short_name(uint8_t comp);
 
+/**
+ * genimg_get_cat_name() - Get the name of an item in a category
+ *
+ * @category:	Category of item
+ * @id:		Item ID
+ * @return name of item, or "Unknown ..." if unknown
+ */
+const char *genimg_get_cat_name(enum ih_category category, uint id);
+
+/**
+ * genimg_get_cat_short_name() - Get the short name of an item in a category
+ *
+ * @category:	Category of item
+ * @id:		Item ID
+ * @return short name of item, or "Unknown ..." if unknown
+ */
+const char *genimg_get_cat_short_name(enum ih_category category, uint id);
+
+/**
+ * genimg_get_cat_count() - Get the number of items in a category
+ *
+ * @category:	Category to check
+ * @return the number of items in the category (IH_xxx_COUNT)
+ */
+int genimg_get_cat_count(enum ih_category category);
+
+/**
+ * genimg_get_cat_desc() - Get the description of a category
+ *
+ * @return the description of a category, e.g. "architecture". This
+ * effectively converts the enum to a string.
+ */
+const char *genimg_get_cat_desc(enum ih_category category);
+
 int genimg_get_os_id(const char *name);
 int genimg_get_arch_id(const char *name);
 int genimg_get_type_id(const char *name);