diff --git a/src/Serializer.cpp b/src/Serializer.cpp
index 09536bb557..51fd734668 100644
--- a/src/Serializer.cpp
+++ b/src/Serializer.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
+
 #include "Serializer.h"
-#include "key.h"
+
 #include <cassert>
+
 #include <openssl/ripemd.h>
 #include <openssl/sha.h>
 
+#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+
+#include "key.h"
+
 int Serializer::addZeros(size_t uBytes)
 {
 	int ret = mData.size();
@@ -238,6 +244,24 @@ uint256 Serializer::getSHA512Half(const std::string& strData)
 	return getSHA512Half(reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(strData.c_str()), strData.size());
 }
 
+uint256 Serializer::getPrefixHash(uint32 prefix, const unsigned char *data, int len)
+{
+	char be_prefix[4];
+	be_prefix[0] = static_cast<unsigned char>(prefix >> 24);
+	be_prefix[1] = static_cast<unsigned char>((prefix >> 16) & 0xff);
+	be_prefix[2] = static_cast<unsigned char>((prefix >> 8) & 0xff);
+	be_prefix[3] = static_cast<unsigned char>(prefix & 0xff);
+
+	uint256 j[2];
+	SHA512_CTX ctx;
+	SHA512_Init(&ctx);
+	SHA512_Update(&ctx, &be_prefix[0], 4);
+	SHA512_Update(&ctx, data, len);
+	SHA512_Final(reinterpret_cast<unsigned char *>(&j[0]), &ctx);
+
+	return j[0];
+}
+
 bool Serializer::checkSignature(int pubkeyOffset, int signatureOffset) const
 {
 	std::vector<unsigned char> pubkey, signature;
@@ -593,4 +617,23 @@ std::vector<unsigned char> SerializerIterator::getRaw(int iLength)
 	return mSerializer.getRaw(iPos, iLength);
 }
 
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Serializer_suite)
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( Serializer_PrefixHash_test )
+{
+	Serializer s1;
+	s1.add32(3);
+	s1.add256(uint256());
+
+	Serializer s2;
+	s2.add32(0x12345600);
+	s2.addRaw(s1.peekData());
+
+	if (s1.getPrefixHash(0x12345600) != s2.getSHA512Half())
+		BOOST_FAIL("Prefix hash does not work");
+}
+
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END();
+
 // vim:ts=4
diff --git a/src/Serializer.h b/src/Serializer.h
index 40613dd52b..a0962c43a4 100644
--- a/src/Serializer.h
+++ b/src/Serializer.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public:
 	bool getTaggedList(std::list<TaggedListItem>&, int offset, int& length) const;
 	bool getTaggedList(std::vector<TaggedListItem>&, int offset, int& length) const;
 
-	// hash functions
+	// normal hash functions
 	uint160 getRIPEMD160(int size=-1) const;
 	uint256 getSHA256(int size=-1) const;
 	uint256 getSHA512Half(int size=-1) const;
@@ -75,6 +75,15 @@ public:
 	static uint256 getSHA512Half(const unsigned char *data, int len);
 	static uint256 getSHA512Half(const std::string& strData);
 
+	// prefix hash functions
+	static uint256 getPrefixHash(uint32 prefix, const unsigned char *data, int len);
+	uint256 getPrefixHash(uint32 prefix) const
+		{ return getPrefixHash(prefix, &(mData.front()), mData.size()); }
+	static uint256 getPrefixHash(uint32 prefix, const std::vector<unsigned char>& data)
+		{ return getPrefixHash(prefix, &(data.front()), data.size()); }
+	static uint256 getPrefixHash(uint32 prefix, const std::string& strData)
+		{ return getPrefixHash(prefix, reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char *>(strData.c_str()), strData.size()); }
+
 	// totality functions
 	int getCapacity() const				{ return mData.capacity(); }
 	int getDataLength() const			{ return mData.size(); }