diff --git a/src/utils.hh b/src/utils.hh
index fcc7a77a..6bfdb907 100644
--- a/src/utils.hh
+++ b/src/utils.hh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "assert.hh"
 
 #include <memory>
+#include <algorithm>
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
@@ -99,6 +100,13 @@ private:
 template<typename T>
 T* Singleton<T>::ms_instance = nullptr;
 
+template<typename Container, typename T>
+bool contains(const Container& container, const T& value)
+{
+    return std::find(container.begin(), container.end(), value)
+           != container.end();
+}
+
 }
 
 #endif // utils_hh_INCLUDED