diff --git a/source/utils/CarlaBackendUtils.hpp b/source/utils/CarlaBackendUtils.hpp
index 6c8b517a4..1610087b0 100644
--- a/source/utils/CarlaBackendUtils.hpp
+++ b/source/utils/CarlaBackendUtils.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Carla Backend utils
- * Copyright (C) 2011-2021 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
+ * Copyright (C) 2011-2023 Filipe Coelho <falktx@falktx.com>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
@@ -595,6 +595,39 @@ const char* getPluginCategoryAsString(const PluginCategory category) noexcept
     return "NONE";
 }
 
+static inline
+PluginCategory getPluginCategoryFromString(const char* const category) noexcept
+{
+    CARLA_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(category != nullptr && category[0] != '\0', PLUGIN_CATEGORY_NONE);
+    carla_debug("CarlaBackend::getPluginCategoryFromString(\"%s\")", category);
+
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "none") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_NONE;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "synth") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_SYNTH;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "delay") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_DELAY;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "eq") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_EQ;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "filter") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_FILTER;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "distortion") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_DISTORTION;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "dynamics") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_DYNAMICS;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "modulator") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_MODULATOR;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "utility") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_UTILITY;
+    if (std::strcmp(category, "other") == 0)
+        return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_OTHER;
+
+    carla_stderr("CarlaBackend::getPluginCategoryFromString(\"%s\") - invalid category", category);
+    return PLUGIN_CATEGORY_NONE;
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 static inline
 const char* getPluginTypeAsString(const PluginType type) noexcept
 {