diff --git a/src/shell-global.c b/src/shell-global.c
index bc99b43ad..531ef2c44 100644
--- a/src/shell-global.c
+++ b/src/shell-global.c
@@ -1303,6 +1303,26 @@ shell_popup_menu (GtkMenu *menu, int button, guint32 time,
                   button, time);
 }
 
+/**
+ * shell_write_string_to_stream:
+ * @stream: a #GOutputStream
+ * @str: a UTF-8 string to write to @stream
+ * @error: location to store GError
+ *
+ * Write a string to a GOutputStream as UTF-8. This is a workaround
+ * for not having binary buffers in GJS.
+ *
+ * Return value: %TRUE if write succeeded
+ */
+gboolean
+shell_write_string_to_stream (GOutputStream *stream,
+                              const char    *str,
+                              GError       **error)
+{
+  return g_output_stream_write_all (stream, str, strlen (str),
+                                    NULL, NULL, error);
+}
+
 /**
  * shell_global_get_current_time:
  * @global: A #ShellGlobal
diff --git a/src/shell-global.h b/src/shell-global.h
index 696b439df..480d47b56 100644
--- a/src/shell-global.h
+++ b/src/shell-global.h
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ ClutterModifierType shell_get_event_state (ClutterEvent *event);
 void shell_popup_menu (GtkMenu *menu, int button, guint32 time,
                        int menu_x, int menu_y);
 
+gboolean shell_write_string_to_stream (GOutputStream *stream,
+                                       const char    *str,
+                                       GError       **error);
+
 guint32 shell_global_get_current_time (ShellGlobal *global);
 
 GAppLaunchContext *shell_global_create_app_launch_context (ShellGlobal *global);