diff --git a/doc/lua_api.txt b/doc/lua_api.txt
index 03f2dad32..82a0acbee 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.txt
+++ b/doc/lua_api.txt
@@ -1951,12 +1951,21 @@ Call these functions only at load time!
 * `minetest.notify_authentication_modified(name)`
     * Should be called by the authentication handler if privileges changes.
     * To report everybody, set `name=nil`.
+* `minetest.check_password_entry(name, entry, password)`
+    * Returns true if the "db entry" for a player with name matches given
+    * password, false otherwise.
+    * The "db entry" is the usually player-individual value that is derived
+    * from the player's chosen password and stored on the server in order to allow
+    * authentication whenever the player desires to log in.
+    * Only use this function for making it possible to log in via the password from
+    * via protocols like IRC, other uses for inside the game are frowned upon.
 * `minetest.get_password_hash(name, raw_password)`
     * Convert a name-password pair to a password hash that Minetest can use.
     * The returned value alone is not a good basis for password checks based
     * on comparing the password hash in the database with the password hash
     * from the function, with an externally provided password, as the hash
     * in the db might use the new SRP verifier format.
+    * For this purpose, use minetest.check_password_entry instead.
 * `minetest.string_to_privs(str)`: returns `{priv1=true,...}`
 * `minetest.privs_to_string(privs)`: returns `"priv1,priv2,..."`
     * Convert between two privilege representations
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_util.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_util.cpp
index e90b7fbcf..d090fc91c 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_util.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_util.cpp
@@ -246,6 +246,35 @@ int ModApiUtil::l_get_hit_params(lua_State *L)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+// check_password_entry(name, entry, password)
+int ModApiUtil::l_check_password_entry(lua_State *L)
+{
+	NO_MAP_LOCK_REQUIRED;
+	std::string name = luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
+	std::string entry = luaL_checkstring(L, 2);
+	std::string password = luaL_checkstring(L, 3);
+
+	if (base64_is_valid(entry)) {
+		std::string hash = translate_password(name, password);
+		lua_pushboolean(L, hash == entry);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	std::string salt;
+	std::string verifier;
+
+	if (!decode_srp_verifier_and_salt(entry, &verifier, &salt)) {
+		// invalid format
+		warningstream << "Invalid password format for " << name << std::endl;
+		lua_pushboolean(L, false);
+		return 1;
+	}
+	std::string gen_verifier = generate_srp_verifier(name, password, salt);
+
+	lua_pushboolean(L, gen_verifier == verifier);
+	return 1;
+}
+
 // get_password_hash(name, raw_password)
 int ModApiUtil::l_get_password_hash(lua_State *L)
 {
@@ -449,6 +478,7 @@ void ModApiUtil::Initialize(lua_State *L, int top)
 	API_FCT(get_dig_params);
 	API_FCT(get_hit_params);
 
+	API_FCT(check_password_entry);
 	API_FCT(get_password_hash);
 
 	API_FCT(is_yes);
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_util.h b/src/script/lua_api/l_util.h
index 779dbe281..3012d55aa 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_util.h
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_util.h
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ private:
 	// get_hit_params(groups, tool_capabilities[, time_from_last_punch])
 	static int l_get_hit_params(lua_State *L);
 
+	// check_password_entry(name, entry, password)
+	static int l_check_password_entry(lua_State *L);
+
 	// get_password_hash(name, raw_password)
 	static int l_get_password_hash(lua_State *L);
 
diff --git a/src/util/auth.h b/src/util/auth.h
index 1fd6ab453..7cdc7d74d 100644
--- a/src/util/auth.h
+++ b/src/util/auth.h
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ std::string encode_srp_verifier(const std::string &verifier,
 /// Reads the DB-formatted SRP verifier and gets the verifier
 /// and salt components.
 bool decode_srp_verifier_and_salt(const std::string &encoded,
-	std::string *salt, std::string *bytes_v);
+	std::string *verifier, std::string *salt);
 
 #endif