diff --git a/test/unit/serialization/parse_hex.hpp b/test/unit/serialization/parse_hex.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..48c70a5d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/serialization/parse_hex.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*****************************************************************************
+ *
+ * This file is part of Mapnik (c++ mapping toolkit)
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 Artem Pavlenko
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ *
+ *****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef MAPNIK_PARSE_HEX_HPP
+#define MAPNIK_PARSE_HEX_HPP
+
+#include <boost/spirit/include/qi.hpp>
+#include <boost/spirit/include/qi_char_.hpp>
+
+namespace mapnik { namespace util {
+
+template <typename Out>
+bool parse_hex(std::string const& input, Out & output)
+{
+    boost::spirit::qi::lit_type lit;
+    auto itr = input.begin();
+    auto end = input.end();
+    using hex2 = boost::spirit::qi::uint_parser< unsigned, 16, 2, 2 >;
+    return boost::spirit::qi::parse(itr, end, -(lit("\\x") | lit("0x")) > *hex2(), output);
+}
+
+}}
+
+
+#endif // MAPNIK_PARSE_HEX_HPP