diff --git a/common/string.go b/common/string.go
index a4d221b74..f053f0e87 100644
--- a/common/string.go
+++ b/common/string.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package common
 
 import (
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 )
@@ -22,3 +23,22 @@ func LeftPadString(s string, totalLength int) string {
 	}
 	return s
 }
+
+// Returns true for non-empty hex-string prefixed with "0x"
+func IsHex(s string) bool {
+	if len(s) > 2 && s[:2] == "0x" {
+		_, err := hex.DecodeString(s[2:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func StripHex(s string) string {
+	if IsHex(s) {
+		return s[2:]
+	}
+	return s
+}