diff --git a/src/bufr_util.c b/src/bufr_util.c
index 2e4d6bfd6..ad510bfb6 100644
--- a/src/bufr_util.c
+++ b/src/bufr_util.c
@@ -1107,3 +1107,13 @@ int codes_bufr_header_get_string(codes_bufr_header* bh, const char* key, char* v
 
     return GRIB_SUCCESS;
 }
+
+int codes_bufr_key_is_header(const grib_handle* h, const char* key, int* err)
+{
+    grib_accessor* acc = grib_find_accessor(h, key);
+    if (!acc) {
+        *err = GRIB_NOT_FOUND;
+        return 0;
+    }
+    return ((acc->flags & GRIB_ACCESSOR_FLAG_BUFR_DATA) == 0);
+}
diff --git a/src/eccodes.h b/src/eccodes.h
index 054870348..d9f6f197d 100644
--- a/src/eccodes.h
+++ b/src/eccodes.h
@@ -1205,6 +1205,9 @@ int codes_is_missing(const codes_handle* h, const char* key, int* err);
 /* Returns a bool i.e. 0 or 1 */
 int codes_is_defined(const codes_handle* h, const char* key);
 
+/* Returns 1 if the BUFR key is in the header and 1 if it is in the data section. The error code is an argument */
+int codes_bufr_key_is_header(const codes_handle* h, const char* key, int* err);
+
 int codes_set_missing(codes_handle* h, const char* key);
 /* The truncation is the Gaussian number (or order) */
 int codes_get_gaussian_latitudes(long truncation, double* latitudes);
diff --git a/src/grib_api_prototypes.h b/src/grib_api_prototypes.h
index 70b3eb140..7a35752ce 100644
--- a/src/grib_api_prototypes.h
+++ b/src/grib_api_prototypes.h
@@ -1489,7 +1489,7 @@ char** codes_bufr_copy_data_return_copied_keys(grib_handle* hin, grib_handle* ho
 int codes_bufr_copy_data(grib_handle* hin, grib_handle* hout);
 int codes_bufr_extract_headers_malloc(grib_context* c, const char* filename, codes_bufr_header** result, int* num_messages, int strict_mode);
 int codes_bufr_header_get_string(codes_bufr_header* bh, const char* key, char* val, size_t* len);
-
+int codes_bufr_key_is_header(const grib_handle* h, const char* key, int* err);
 
 /* string_util.c */
 int strcmp_nocase(const char* s1, const char* s2);