diff --git a/include/api/Metrics.h b/include/api/Metrics.h
index 97ee8dca599..6365f52ab96 100644
--- a/include/api/Metrics.h
+++ b/include/api/Metrics.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <array>
+#include <optional>
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <mutex>
@@ -88,6 +89,16 @@ class Metrics
   IdType lookup(const std::string_view name) const;
   IntType *lookup(IdType id, std::string_view *name = nullptr) const;
 
+  std::optional<IntType *>
+  lookupPtr(const std::string_view name) const
+  {
+    IdType id = lookup(name);
+    if (id != NOT_FOUND) {
+      return lookup(id);
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+  }
+
   // A bit of a convenience, since we use the ptr to the atomic frequently in the core
   IntType *
   newMetricPtr(const std::string_view name)
diff --git a/src/api/test_Metrics.cc b/src/api/test_Metrics.cc
index 6556754c845..df8efa93585 100644
--- a/src/api/test_Metrics.cc
+++ b/src/api/test_Metrics.cc
@@ -62,4 +62,17 @@ TEST_CASE("Metrics", "[libtsapi][Metrics]")
 
     REQUIRE(m[0].load() == 42);
   }
+
+  SECTION("lookup")
+  {
+    auto nm = m.lookupPtr("notametric");
+    REQUIRE(!nm);
+
+    auto mid = m.newMetric("ametric");
+    auto fm  = m.lookupPtr("ametric");
+    REQUIRE(fm.has_value());
+    REQUIRE(fm.value());
+    REQUIRE(fm.value() == m.lookup(mid));
+    REQUIRE(m.lookup("ametric") == mid);
+  }
 }