diff --git a/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.c b/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.c
index 47f375a36..b2cb3f320 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.c
@@ -201,6 +201,40 @@ _cogl_boxed_value_set_matrix (CoglBoxedValue *bv,
                            transpose);
 }
 
+void
+_cogl_boxed_value_copy (CoglBoxedValue *dst,
+                        const CoglBoxedValue *src)
+{
+  *dst = *src;
+
+  if (src->count > 1)
+    {
+      switch (src->type)
+        {
+        case COGL_BOXED_NONE:
+          break;
+
+        case COGL_BOXED_INT:
+          dst->v.int_array = g_memdup (src->v.int_array,
+                                       src->size * src->count * sizeof (int));
+          break;
+
+        case COGL_BOXED_FLOAT:
+          dst->v.float_array = g_memdup (src->v.float_array,
+                                         src->size *
+                                         src->count *
+                                         sizeof (float));
+          break;
+
+        case COGL_BOXED_MATRIX:
+          dst->v.float_array = g_memdup (src->v.float_array,
+                                         src->size * src->size *
+                                         src->count * sizeof (float));
+          break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void
 _cogl_boxed_value_destroy (CoglBoxedValue *bv)
 {
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.h b/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.h
index dada36f27..d9dd45a0f 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-boxed-value.h
@@ -89,6 +89,17 @@ _cogl_boxed_value_set_matrix (CoglBoxedValue *bv,
                               gboolean transpose,
                               const float *value);
 
+/*
+ * _cogl_boxed_value_copy:
+ * @dst: The destination boxed value
+ * @src: The source boxed value
+ *
+ * This copies @src to @dst. It is assumed that @dst is initialised.
+ */
+void
+_cogl_boxed_value_copy (CoglBoxedValue *dst,
+                        const CoglBoxedValue *src);
+
 void
 _cogl_boxed_value_destroy (CoglBoxedValue *bv);