diff --git a/utils.c b/utils.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e55ba5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils.c
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include "utils.h"
+
+int file_cmp(const char *a, const char *b) {
+
+	struct stat sa, sb;
+
+	if (stat(a, &sa) < 0 || stat(b, &sb) < 0)
+		return 0;
+	return  sa.st_dev == sb.st_dev &&
+		sa.st_ino == sb.st_ino;
+}
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f185c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+
+#ifndef UTILS_H
+#define UTILS_H
+
+/* compare two files at a system level.
+   Returns a non zero value if a and b are the same file. zero otherwise.
+   ("same" in this context is the same location on the filesystem) */
+int file_cmp(const char *a, const char *b);
+
+#endif /* UTILS_H */
\ No newline at end of file