diff --git a/thunar/thunar-file.c b/thunar/thunar-file.c
index b9b30dcd53872665fb2ebd77d205c7086b62c51a..b8b80fbed6b5ae694d15118fe4f880e74a8a655e 100644
--- a/thunar/thunar-file.c
+++ b/thunar/thunar-file.c
@@ -2008,6 +2008,37 @@ thunar_file_is_local (const ThunarFile *file)
 
 
 
+/**
+ * thunar_file_is_parent:
+ * @file  : a #ThunarFile instance.
+ * @child : another #ThunarFile instance.
+ *
+ * Determines whether @file is the parent directory of @child.
+ *
+ * Return value: %TRUE if @file is the parent of @child.
+ **/
+gboolean
+thunar_file_is_parent (const ThunarFile *file,
+                       const ThunarFile *child)
+{
+  gboolean is_parent = FALSE;
+  GFile   *parent;
+
+  _thunar_return_val_if_fail (THUNAR_IS_FILE (file), FALSE);
+  _thunar_return_val_if_fail (THUNAR_IS_FILE (child), FALSE);
+
+  parent = g_file_get_parent (child->gfile);
+  if (parent != NULL)
+    {
+      is_parent = g_file_equal (file->gfile, parent);
+      g_object_unref (parent);
+    }
+
+  return is_parent;
+}
+
+
+
 /**
  * thunar_file_is_ancestor:
  * @file     : a #ThunarFile instance.
diff --git a/thunar/thunar-file.h b/thunar/thunar-file.h
index f67475a60fdd3a21b243356bc4cb383220034546..d2894023e0c8a19c6334d12408f601caf6edf863 100644
--- a/thunar/thunar-file.h
+++ b/thunar/thunar-file.h
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ gboolean          thunar_file_is_directory         (const ThunarFile       *file
 gboolean          thunar_file_is_shortcut          (const ThunarFile       *file);
 gboolean          thunar_file_is_mountable         (const ThunarFile       *file);
 gboolean          thunar_file_is_local             (const ThunarFile       *file);
+gboolean          thunar_file_is_parent            (const ThunarFile       *file,
+                                                    const ThunarFile       *child);
 gboolean          thunar_file_is_ancestor          (const ThunarFile       *file, 
                                                     const ThunarFile       *ancestor);
 gboolean          thunar_file_is_executable        (const ThunarFile       *file);