diff --git a/stand/kboot/include/util.h b/stand/kboot/include/util.h
--- a/stand/kboot/include/util.h
+++ b/stand/kboot/include/util.h
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@
 #pragma once
 
 bool file2str(const char *fn, char *buffer, size_t buflen);
+bool file2u32(const char *fn, uint32_t *val);
 bool file2u64(const char *fn, uint64_t *val);
diff --git a/stand/kboot/libkboot/util.c b/stand/kboot/libkboot/util.c
--- a/stand/kboot/libkboot/util.c
+++ b/stand/kboot/libkboot/util.c
@@ -44,3 +44,16 @@
 	*val = v;
 	return true;
 }
+
+bool
+file2u32(const char *fn, uint32_t *val)
+{
+	unsigned long v;
+	char buffer[80];
+
+	if (!file2str(fn, buffer, sizeof(buffer)))
+		return false;
+	v = strtoul(buffer, NULL, 0);	/* XXX check return values? */
+	*val = v;
+	return true;
+}