diff --git a/lisp/subr.el b/lisp/subr.el
index c199bee05dc..4512fbfafb0 100644
--- a/lisp/subr.el
+++ b/lisp/subr.el
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ Overlays might be moved and or split."
 	  (if (> (overlay-end o) end)
 	      (move-overlay o end (overlay-end o))
 	    (delete-overlay o)))))))
-
+
 ;;;; Miscellanea.
 
 ;; A number of major modes set this locally.
@@ -1362,6 +1362,12 @@ Value is what BODY returns."
 	      (cons 'progn body)
 	      '(set-match-data save-match-data-internal))))
 
+(defun copy-without-properties (string)
+  "Return a copy of STRING with no text properties."
+  (setq string (concat string))
+  (set-text-properties 0 (length string) nil string)
+  string)
+
 (defun match-string (num &optional string)
   "Return string of text matched by last search.
 NUM specifies which parenthesized expression in the last regexp.