diff --git a/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.ml b/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.ml
index 0816b9dcb8..73bf885a2e 100644
--- a/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.ml
+++ b/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.ml
@@ -124,3 +124,10 @@ let float_attrib = fun xml a ->
   with
     _ -> failwith (Printf.sprintf "Error: float expected in '%s'" v)
 
+let int_attrib = fun xml a ->
+  let v = attrib xml a in
+  try
+    int_of_string v
+  with
+    _ -> failwith (Printf.sprintf "Error: integer expected in '%s'" v)
+
diff --git a/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.mli b/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.mli
index 2cab9194a9..ed9d342906 100644
--- a/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.mli
+++ b/sw/lib/ocaml/extXml.mli
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ val get_attrib : Xml.xml -> string -> string -> string
 (** [get_attrib xml path attrib_name] *)
 
 val attrib : Xml.xml -> string -> string
+val int_attrib : Xml.xml -> string -> int
+val float_attrib : Xml.xml -> string -> float
 (** [get xml attribute_name] May raise [Error] *)
 
 val tag_is : Xml.xml -> string -> bool
@@ -56,5 +58,4 @@ val subst_attrib : string -> string -> Xml.xml -> Xml.xml
 val subst_child : string -> Xml.xml -> Xml.xml -> Xml.xml
 (** [subst_child child_tag new_child xml] *)
 
-val float_attrib : Xml.xml -> string -> float