diff --git a/src/__init__.py b/src/__init__.py
index 04a3fa7cfaf7ba4d7524df853dd827798bd711b2..9f55d8d4acfa3dbe948bdbf33a4e5e2739e11774 100644
--- a/src/__init__.py
+++ b/src/__init__.py
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ class InfixOperator:
 
 
 def monkeypatch_method(cls):
+    # from GvR, http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2008-January/076194.html
     def decorator(func):
         setattr(cls, func.__name__, func)
         return func
@@ -355,6 +356,19 @@ def monkeypatch_method(cls):
 
 
 
+def monkeypatch_class(name, bases, namespace):
+    # from GvR, http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2008-January/076194.html
+
+    assert len(bases) == 1, "Exactly one base class required"
+    base = bases[0]
+    for name, value in namespace.iteritems():
+        if name != "__metaclass__":
+            setattr(base, name, value)
+    return base
+
+
+
+
 # Generic utilities ----------------------------------------------------------
 def flatten(list):
     """For an iterable of sub-iterables, generate each member of each