diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.c b/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.c
index 2e4e103..89f6a9c 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.c
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.c
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
   return (char *)0;
 }
 
-char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readDTag(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self, unsigned int tag)
+char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readDTag(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self, unsigned int expectedTag)
 {
   char *error;
   unsigned int type;
@@ -42,8 +42,41 @@
   if (type != ndn_BinaryXML_DTAG)
     return "ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readDTag: header type is not a DTAG";
   
-  if (value != tag)
+  if (value != expectedTag)
     return "ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readDTag: did not get the expected DTAG";
   
   return (char *)0;
+}
+
+char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readElementClose(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self)
+{
+  if (self->offset >= self->inputLength)
+    return "ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readElementClose read past the end of the input";
+  
+  unsigned int octet = (unsigned int)(self->input[self->offset++] & 0xff);
+
+  if (octet != ndn_BinaryXML_CLOSE)
+    return "ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readDTag: did not get the expected element close";
+  
+  return (char *)0;
+}
+
+char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_peekDTag(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self, unsigned int expectedTag, int *gotExpectedTag)
+{
+  // Default to 0.
+  *gotExpectedTag = 0;
+  
+  unsigned int type;
+  unsigned int value;
+  unsigned int saveOffset = self->offset;
+  char *error = ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_decodeTypeAndValue(self, &type, &value);
+  self->offset = saveOffset;
+  
+  if (error)
+    return error;
+  
+  if (type == ndn_BinaryXML_DTAG && value == expectedTag)
+    *gotExpectedTag = 1;
+  
+  return (char *)0;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.h b/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.h
index 470e562..ed24df7 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.h
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/BinaryXMLDecoder.h
@@ -30,18 +30,35 @@
  * @param self pointer to the ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder struct
  * @param type output for the header type
  * @param value output for the header value
- * @return 0 for success, else an error string
+ * @return 0 for success, else an error string for read past the end of the input
  */
 char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_decodeTypeAndValue(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self, unsigned int *type, unsigned int *value);
 
 /**
- * Decode the header from self's input starting at offset, expecting the type to be DTAG and the value to be the
- * given tag. Update offset.
+ * Decode the header from self's input starting at offset, expecting the type to be DTAG and the value to be expectedTag.
+ * Update offset.
  * @param self pointer to the ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder struct
- * @param tag the expected value for DTAG
+ * @param expectedTag the expected value for DTAG
  * @return 0 for success, else an error string, including an error if not the expected tag
  */
-char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readDTag(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self, unsigned int tag);
+char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readDTag(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self, unsigned int expectedTag);
+
+/**
+ * Read one byte from self's input starting at offset, expecting it to be the element close.
+ * @param self pointer to the ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder struct
+ * @return 0 for success, else an error string, including an error if not the element close
+ */
+char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_readElementClose(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self);
+
+/**
+ * Decode the header from self's input starting at offset, and if it is a DTAG where the value is the expectedTag,
+ * then set gotExpectedTag to 1, else 0.  Do not update offset, including if returning an error.
+ * @param self pointer to the ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder struct
+ * @param expectedTag the expected value for DTAG
+ * @param gotExpectedTag output a 1 if got the expected tag, else 0
+ * @return 0 for success, else an error string for read past the end of the input
+ */
+char *ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder_peekDTag(struct ndn_BinaryXMLDecoder *self, unsigned int expectedTag, int *gotExpectedTag);
 
 /**
  * Set the offset into the input, used for the next read.