diff --git a/src/api/c++/z3++.h b/src/api/c++/z3++.h
index 701381176..9d1006e2a 100644
--- a/src/api/c++/z3++.h
+++ b/src/api/c++/z3++.h
@@ -745,6 +745,7 @@ namespace z3 {
         bool is_numeral(std::string& s) const { if (!is_numeral()) return false; s = Z3_get_numeral_string(ctx(), m_ast); check_error(); return true; }
         bool is_numeral(std::string& s, unsigned precision) const { if (!is_numeral()) return false; s = Z3_get_numeral_decimal_string(ctx(), m_ast, precision); check_error(); return true; }
         bool is_numeral(double& d) const { if (!is_numeral()) return false; d = Z3_get_numeral_double(ctx(), m_ast); check_error(); return true; }
+
         /**
            \brief Return true if this expression is an application.
         */
@@ -895,18 +896,27 @@ namespace z3 {
             return expr(ctx(),r);
         }
 
+
+        /**
+           \brief Return true if this expression is a string literal. 
+           The string can be accessed using \c get_string() and \c get_escaped_string()
+         */
+        bool is_string_value() const { return Z3_is_string(ctx(), m_ast); }
+
         /**
            \brief for a string value expression return an escaped or unescaped string value.
            \pre expression is for a string value.
          */
 
-        std::string get_escaped_string() const {
+        std::string get_escaped_string() const {            
+            assert(is_string_value());
             char const* s = Z3_get_string(ctx(), m_ast);
             check_error();
             return std::string(s);
         }
 
         std::string get_string() const {
+            assert(is_string_value());
             unsigned n;
             char const* s = Z3_get_lstring(ctx(), m_ast, &n);
             check_error();