diff --git a/src/lua_hudlib.c b/src/lua_hudlib.c
index b59e12cf3..999232c35 100644
--- a/src/lua_hudlib.c
+++ b/src/lua_hudlib.c
@@ -964,6 +964,21 @@ static int libd_stringWidth(lua_State *L)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+static int libd_parseText(lua_State *L)
+{
+	HUDONLY
+
+	const char *rawText = luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
+
+	if (!rawText)
+		return luaL_error(L, "no string provided to v.parseText");
+
+	char *newText = V_ParseText(rawText);
+	lua_pushstring(gL, newText);
+	Z_Free(newText);
+	return 1;
+}
+
 static int libd_getColormap(lua_State *L)
 {
 	INT32 skinnum = TC_DEFAULT;
@@ -1162,6 +1177,7 @@ static luaL_Reg lib_draw[] = {
 	// misc
 	{"stringWidth", libd_stringWidth},
 	{"titleCardStringWidth", libd_titleCardStringWidth},
+	{"parseText", libd_parseText},
 	// m_random
 	{"RandomFixed",libd_RandomFixed},
 	{"RandomByte",libd_RandomByte},
diff --git a/src/v_video.cpp b/src/v_video.cpp
index 0f278cf79..3772cb99a 100644
--- a/src/v_video.cpp
+++ b/src/v_video.cpp
@@ -3700,3 +3700,10 @@ void VID_DisplaySoftwareScreen()
 	// Post-process blit to the 'default' framebuffer
 	hw_state->blit_postimg_screens->draw(*rhi, ctx);
 }
+
+char *V_ParseText(const char *rawText)
+{
+	using srb2::Draw;
+
+	return Z_StrDup(srb2::Draw::TextElement().parse(rawText).string().c_str());
+}
diff --git a/src/v_video.h b/src/v_video.h
index 018cd2c51..61467e641 100644
--- a/src/v_video.h
+++ b/src/v_video.h
@@ -442,6 +442,9 @@ void VID_BlitLinearScreen(const UINT8 *srcptr, UINT8 *destptr, INT32 width, INT3
  */
 void VID_DisplaySoftwareScreen(void);
 
+char *V_ParseText(const char *rawText); // Launder srb2::draw::TextElement.parse() through C code!
+
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } // extern "C"
 #endif