diff --git a/libguile/programs.c b/libguile/programs.c
index 122c1b776..235422ac8 100644
--- a/libguile/programs.c
+++ b/libguile/programs.c
@@ -199,6 +199,24 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_program_meta, "program-meta", 1, 0, 0,
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 
+extern SCM
+scm_c_program_source (struct scm_program *p, size_t ip)
+{
+  SCM meta, sources, source;
+
+  if (scm_is_false (p->meta))
+    return SCM_BOOL_F;
+  meta = scm_call_0 (p->meta);
+  if (scm_is_false (meta))
+    return SCM_BOOL_F;
+  sources = scm_cadr (meta);
+  source = scm_assv (scm_from_size_t (ip), sources);
+  if (scm_is_false (source))
+    return SCM_BOOL_F;
+
+  return scm_cdr (source); /* a #(line column file) vector */
+}
+
 SCM_DEFINE (scm_program_objects, "program-objects", 1, 0, 0,
 	    (SCM program),
 	    "")
diff --git a/libguile/programs.h b/libguile/programs.h
index 0f1b57dd3..e57f6d08a 100644
--- a/libguile/programs.h
+++ b/libguile/programs.h
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ extern SCM scm_program_external (SCM program);
 extern SCM scm_program_external_set_x (SCM program, SCM external);
 extern SCM scm_program_bytecode (SCM program);
 
+extern SCM scm_c_program_source (struct scm_program *p, size_t ip);
+
 extern void scm_bootstrap_programs (void);
 extern void scm_init_programs (void);