diff --git a/lkpselib.c b/lkpselib.c
index 4046550..1b71632 100644
--- a/lkpselib.c
+++ b/lkpselib.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
+#include <kpathsea/absolute.h>
 #include <kpathsea/c-pathch.h>
 #include <kpathsea/lib.h>
 #include <kpathsea/proginit.h>
@@ -299,6 +300,24 @@ static int lua_kpathsea_var_value(lua_State * L)
     return 1;
 }
 
+static int is_absolute(lua_State * L)
+{
+    const char *path = luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
+    boolean accept_relative = lua_toboolean(L, 2);
+    TEST_PROGRAM_NAME_SET;
+    lua_pushboolean(L, kpse_absolute_p(path, accept_relative));
+    return 1;
+}
+
+static int lua_kpathsea_is_absolute(lua_State * L)
+{
+    kpathsea *kp = (kpathsea *) luaL_checkudata(L, 1, KPATHSEA_METATABLE);
+    const char *path = luaL_checkstring(L, 2);
+    boolean accept_relative = lua_toboolean(L, 3);
+    lua_pushboolean(L, kpathsea_absolute_p(*kp, path, accept_relative));
+    return 1;
+}
+
 static unsigned find_dpi(const_string s)
 {
     unsigned dpi_number = 0;
@@ -821,6 +840,7 @@ static const struct luaL_Reg kpselib_m[] = {
     {"default_texmfcnf", show_texmfcnf},
     {"record_input_file", lua_record_input_file},
     {"record_output_file", lua_record_output_file},
+    {"is_absolute", lua_kpathsea_is_absolute},
     {NULL, NULL}                /* sentinel */
 };
 
@@ -839,6 +859,7 @@ static const struct luaL_Reg kpselib_l[] = {
     {"set_maketex", lua_set_maketex},
     {"version", lua_kpse_version},
     {"default_texmfcnf", show_texmfcnf},
+    {"is_absolute", is_absolute},
     {NULL, NULL}                /* sentinel */
 };