diff --git a/src/gui/accountmanager.cpp b/src/gui/accountmanager.cpp
index 28a0b78c5..0b5eed458 100644
--- a/src/gui/accountmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/accountmanager.cpp
@@ -215,6 +215,16 @@ AccountPtr AccountManager::load(QSettings& settings)
     return acc;
 }
 
+AccountStatePtr AccountManager::account(const QString& name)
+{
+    foreach (const auto& acc, _accounts) {
+        if (acc->account()->displayName() == name) {
+            return acc;
+        }
+    }
+    return AccountStatePtr();
+}
+
 AccountState *AccountManager::addAccount(const AccountPtr& newAccount)
 {
     auto id = newAccount->id();
diff --git a/src/gui/accountmanager.h b/src/gui/accountmanager.h
index eed8e43e3..296b3b33e 100644
--- a/src/gui/accountmanager.h
+++ b/src/gui/accountmanager.h
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ public:
      */
     QList<AccountStatePtr> accounts() { return _accounts; }
 
+    /**
+     * Return the account state pointer for an account identified by its display name
+     */
+    AccountStatePtr account(const QString& name);
+
     /**
      * Delete the AccountState
      */