diff --git a/node/pkg/db/db.go b/node/pkg/db/db.go
index 7e476ee45..515d792d4 100644
--- a/node/pkg/db/db.go
+++ b/node/pkg/db/db.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/certusone/wormhole/node/pkg/vaa"
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/badger/v3"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 type Database struct {
@@ -17,6 +19,37 @@ type VAAID struct {
 	Sequence       uint64
 }
 
+// VaaIDFromString parses a <chain>/<address>/<sequence> string into a VAAID.
+func VaaIDFromString(s string) (*VAAID, error) {
+	parts := strings.Split(s, "/")
+	if len(parts) != 3 {
+		return nil, errors.New("invalid message id")
+	}
+
+	emitterChain, err := strconv.Atoi(parts[0])
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid emitter chain: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	emitterAddress, err := vaa.StringToAddress(parts[1])
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid emitter address: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	sequence, err := strconv.ParseUint(parts[2], 10, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid sequence: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	msgId := &VAAID{
+		EmitterChain:   vaa.ChainID(emitterChain),
+		EmitterAddress: emitterAddress,
+		Sequence:       sequence,
+	}
+
+	return msgId, nil
+}
+
 func VaaIDFromVAA(v *vaa.VAA) *VAAID {
 	return &VAAID{
 		EmitterChain:   v.EmitterChain,
diff --git a/node/pkg/vaa/structs.go b/node/pkg/vaa/structs.go
index b6b52bb24..511065ab0 100644
--- a/node/pkg/vaa/structs.go
+++ b/node/pkg/vaa/structs.go
@@ -342,3 +342,14 @@ func MustWrite(w io.Writer, order binary.ByteOrder, data interface{}) {
 		panic(fmt.Errorf("failed to write binary data: %v", data).Error())
 	}
 }
+
+// StringToAddress converts a hex-encoded adress into a vaa.Address
+func StringToAddress(value string) (Address, error) {
+	var address Address
+	res, err := hex.DecodeString(value)
+	if err != nil {
+		return address, err
+	}
+	copy(address[:], res)
+	return address, nil
+}