diff --git a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/etlserver/registrator/JythonTopLevelDataSetHandler.java b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/etlserver/registrator/JythonTopLevelDataSetHandler.java
index 6af6cd19b6a65d5f30e1a489abe49ba41e54a3ed..e0fa3ee68af987ee35f235f25c32f8fc8254ff38 100644
--- a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/etlserver/registrator/JythonTopLevelDataSetHandler.java
+++ b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/etlserver/registrator/JythonTopLevelDataSetHandler.java
@@ -301,6 +301,20 @@ public class JythonTopLevelDataSetHandler<T extends DataSetInformation> extends
         {
             return createDataSetRegistrationDetails();
         }
+        
+        /**
+         * Returns the Java class for the given class name.
+         */
+        public Class<?> getClass(String className)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                return Class.forName(className);
+            } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex)
+            {
+                return null;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     protected static class JythonDataSetRegistrationService<T extends DataSetInformation> extends