diff --git a/util.cpp b/util.cpp
index 02dab83..34b0f9b 100644
--- a/util.cpp
+++ b/util.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "util.hpp"
 
+#include <cstdio>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 #include <phosphor-logging/elog-errors.hpp>
@@ -34,5 +35,37 @@
     return data;
 }
 
+std::string readPropertyFile(const std::string& fileName)
+{
+    std::ifstream ifs(fileName);
+    std::string contents;
+
+    if (!ifs.is_open())
+    {
+        std::fprintf(stderr, "Unable to open file %s.\n", fileName.c_str());
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        if (ifs >> contents)
+        {
+            // If the last character is a null terminator; remove it.
+            if (!contents.empty())
+            {
+                char const& back = contents.back();
+                if (back == '\0')
+                    contents.pop_back();
+            }
+
+            return contents;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            std::fprintf(stderr, "Unable to read file %s.\n", fileName.c_str());
+        }
+    }
+
+    return "";
+}
+
 } // namespace ipmi
 } // namespace google