diff --git a/source/utf8/checked.h b/source/utf8/checked.h
index dc342ff..5670c19 100644
--- a/source/utf8/checked.h
+++ b/source/utf8/checked.h
@@ -152,6 +152,12 @@ namespace utf8
         return cp;        
     }
 
+    template <typename octet_iterator>
+    uint32_t peek_next(octet_iterator it, octet_iterator end)
+    {
+        return next(it, end);
+    }
+
     template <typename octet_iterator>
     uint32_t prior(octet_iterator& it, octet_iterator start)
     {
diff --git a/source/utf8/unchecked.h b/source/utf8/unchecked.h
index 2277d28..4009ceb 100644
--- a/source/utf8/unchecked.h
+++ b/source/utf8/unchecked.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ namespace utf8
             }
             return result;
         }
+
         template <typename octet_iterator>
         uint32_t next(octet_iterator& it)
         {
@@ -87,6 +88,12 @@ namespace utf8
             return cp;        
         }
 
+        template <typename octet_iterator>
+        uint32_t peek_next(octet_iterator it)
+        {
+            return next(it);    
+        }
+
         template <typename octet_iterator>
         uint32_t prior(octet_iterator& it)
         {
diff --git a/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp b/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp
index c50e136..f454549 100644
--- a/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp
+++ b/test_drivers/smoke_test/test.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ int main()
     end = append(0x10346, u);
     assert (u[0] == 0xf0 && u[1] == 0x90 && u[2] == 0x8d && u[3] == 0x86 && u[4] == 0);
 
-    
 
     //next
     char* twochars = "\xe6\x97\xa5\xd1\x88";
@@ -43,6 +42,12 @@ int main()
     assert (cp == 0x0448);
     assert (w == threechars + 9);
 
+    //peek_next
+    char* const cw = twochars;
+    cp = peek_next(cw, cw + 6);
+    assert (cp == 0x65e5);
+    assert (cw == twochars);
+
     //prior
     w = twochars + 3;
     cp = prior (w, twochars);
@@ -197,6 +202,11 @@ int main()
     assert (cp == 0x0448);
     assert (w == threechars + 9);
 
+    //peek_next
+    cp = unchecked::peek_next(cw);
+    assert (cp == 0x65e5);
+    assert (cw == twochars);
+
 
     //previous (calls prior internally)