diff --git a/include/db/db.inc.php b/include/db/db.inc.php
index 14eed78f..a97f2884 100644
--- a/include/db/db.inc.php
+++ b/include/db/db.inc.php
@@ -165,3 +165,10 @@ function serendipity_db_probe($hash, &$errs)
     $db = DbFactory::createFromConfig($serendipity);
     return $db->probe($hash, $errs);
 }
+
+function serendipity_utf8mb4_reader()
+{
+    global $serendipity;
+    $db = DbFactory::createFromConfig($serendipity);
+    return $db->isUtf8mb4Ready();
+}
diff --git a/lib/Serendipity/Database/MysqliDatabase.php b/lib/Serendipity/Database/MysqliDatabase.php
index e7a55eea..8bc6049f 100644
--- a/lib/Serendipity/Database/MysqliDatabase.php
+++ b/lib/Serendipity/Database/MysqliDatabase.php
@@ -331,8 +331,8 @@ class MysqliDatabase extends DbAbstract
      * innodb being available with fulltext index and large index support, so that our database scheme can work
      *
      * @return boolean   Whether the database could support utf8mb4
-     */ 
-    protected function isUtf8mb4Ready()
+     */
+    public function isUtf8mb4Ready()
     {
         $mysql_version = mysqli_get_server_info($this->db_conn);
         $maria = false;