diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/BaseUtils.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/BaseUtils.java
index fbedf4388..d6738e7e0 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/BaseUtils.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/BaseUtils.java
@@ -147,6 +147,11 @@ public class BaseUtils {
         return isRegularBase((char)base);
     }
 
+    static public boolean isNBase(byte base) {
+        return base == 'N';
+    }
+
+
     /**
      * Converts a base index to a simple base
      *