diff --git a/include/re_conf.h b/include/re_conf.h
index 8c5d00852..1db507d5a 100644
--- a/include/re_conf.h
+++ b/include/re_conf.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ int conf_get(const struct conf *conf, const char *name, struct pl *pl);
 int conf_get_str(const struct conf *conf, const char *name, char *str,
 		 size_t size);
 int conf_get_u32(const struct conf *conf, const char *name, uint32_t *num);
+int conf_get_i32(const struct conf *conf, const char *name, int32_t *num);
 int conf_get_bool(const struct conf *conf, const char *name, bool *val);
 int conf_apply(const struct conf *conf, const char *name,
 	       conf_h *ch, void *arg);
diff --git a/src/conf/conf.c b/src/conf/conf.c
index d07f68e52..2fe1a2417 100644
--- a/src/conf/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/conf.c
@@ -225,6 +225,33 @@ int conf_get_u32(const struct conf *conf, const char *name, uint32_t *num)
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * Get the numeric signed value of a configuration item
+ *
+ * @param conf Configuration object
+ * @param name Name of config item key
+ * @param num  Returned numeric value of config item, if present
+ *
+ * @return 0 if success, otherwise errorcode
+ */
+int conf_get_i32(const struct conf *conf, const char *name, int32_t *num)
+{
+	struct pl pl;
+	int err;
+
+	if (!conf || !name || !num)
+		return EINVAL;
+
+	err = conf_get(conf, name, &pl);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+
+	*num = pl_i32(&pl);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * Get the boolean value of a configuration item
  *