diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 7cacc6d7b..2893106dd 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ static void COM_Add_f(void);
 static void CV_EnforceExecVersion(void);
 static boolean CV_FilterVarByVersion(consvar_t *v, const char *valstr);
 static boolean CV_Command(void);
-static consvar_t *CV_FindVar(const char *name);
+consvar_t *CV_FindVar(const char *name);
 static const char *CV_StringValue(const char *var_name);
 static consvar_t *consvar_vars; // list of registered console variables
 
@@ -1106,7 +1106,7 @@ static const char *cv_null_string = "";
   * \return Pointer to the variable if found, or NULL.
   * \sa CV_FindNetVar
   */
-static consvar_t *CV_FindVar(const char *name)
+consvar_t *CV_FindVar(const char *name)
 {
 	consvar_t *cvar;
 
diff --git a/src/command.h b/src/command.h
index b1026437f..42bd6eb84 100644
--- a/src/command.h
+++ b/src/command.h
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ void CV_ToggleExecVersion(boolean enable);
 // register a variable for use at the console
 void CV_RegisterVar(consvar_t *variable);
 
+// returns a console variable by name
+consvar_t *CV_FindVar(const char *name);
+
 // sets changed to 0 for every console variable
 void CV_ClearChangedFlags(void);
 
diff --git a/src/lua_consolelib.c b/src/lua_consolelib.c
index 837612e52..558540829 100644
--- a/src/lua_consolelib.c
+++ b/src/lua_consolelib.c
@@ -427,6 +427,26 @@ static int lib_cvRegisterVar(lua_State *L)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+static int lib_cvFindVar(lua_State *L)
+{
+	consvar_t *cv;
+	if (( cv = CV_FindVar(luaL_checkstring(L,1)) ))
+	{
+		lua_settop(L,1);/* We only want one argument in the stack. */
+		lua_pushlightuserdata(L, cv);/* Now the second value on stack. */
+		luaL_getmetatable(L, META_CVAR);
+		/*
+		The metatable is the last value on the stack, so this
+		applies it to the second value, which is the cvar.
+		*/
+		lua_setmetatable(L,2);
+		lua_pushvalue(L,2);
+		return 1;
+	}
+	else
+		return 0;
+}
+
 // CONS_Printf for a single player
 // Use 'print' in baselib for a global message.
 static int lib_consPrintf(lua_State *L)
@@ -466,6 +486,7 @@ static luaL_Reg lib[] = {
 	{"COM_BufAddText", lib_comBufAddText},
 	{"COM_BufInsertText", lib_comBufInsertText},
 	{"CV_RegisterVar", lib_cvRegisterVar},
+	{"CV_FindVar", lib_cvFindVar},
 	{"CONS_Printf", lib_consPrintf},
 	{NULL, NULL}
 };