--- a/src/vte/vteterminal.h
+++ b/src/vte/vteterminal.h
@@ -204,7 +204,9 @@
 _VTE_PUBLIC
 void vte_terminal_select_text(VteTerminal *terminal, long start_col, long start_row,
 			      long end_col, long end_row) _VTE_CXX_NOEXCEPT _VTE_GNUC_NONNULL(1);
-
+_VTE_PUBLIC
+char *
+vte_terminal_get_selection(VteTerminal *terminal) _VTE_CXX_NOEXCEPT _VTE_GNUC_NONNULL(1);
 
 /* By-word selection */
 _VTE_PUBLIC
--- a/src/vtegtk.cc
+++ b/src/vtegtk.cc
@@ -2435,6 +2435,13 @@
         IMPL(terminal)->select_text(start_col, start_row, end_col, end_row);
 }
 
+char *
+vte_terminal_get_selection(VteTerminal *terminal) noexcept
+{
+	g_return_val_if_fail(VTE_IS_TERMINAL(terminal), NULL);
+	return g_strdup (IMPL(terminal)->m_selection[VTE_SELECTION_PRIMARY]->str);
+}
+
 /**
  * vte_terminal_get_cursor_position:
  * @terminal: a #VteTerminal