diff --git a/meta/lib/oe/data.py b/meta/lib/oe/data.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4cc0e02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/lib/oe/data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import oe.maketype
+
+def typed_value(key, d):
+    """Construct a value for the specified metadata variable, using its flags
+    to determine the type and parameters for construction."""
+    var_type = d.getVarFlag(key, 'type')
+    flags = d.getVarFlags(key)
+    if flags is not None:
+        flags = dict((flag, d.expand(value))
+                     for flag, value in flags.iteritems())
+    else:
+        flags = {}
+
+    try:
+        return oe.maketype.create(d.getVar(key, True) or '', var_type, **flags)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError), exc:
+        bb.msg.fatal("Data", "%s: %s" % (key, str(exc)))