diff --git a/src/misc2.c b/src/misc2.c
index 9127e66..cf95705 100644
--- a/src/misc2.c
+++ b/src/misc2.c
@@ -6429,3 +6429,88 @@
 }
 # endif
 #endif
+
+#if defined(FEAT_JOB_CHANNEL) \
+	|| (defined(UNIX) && (!defined(USE_SYSTEM) \
+	|| (defined(FEAT_GUI) && defined(FEAT_TERMINAL)))) \
+	|| defined(PROTO)
+/*
+ * Parse "cmd" and put the white-separated parts in "argv".
+ * "argv" is an allocated array with "argc" entries and room for 4 more.
+ * Returns FAIL when out of memory.
+ */
+    int
+mch_parse_cmd(char_u *cmd, int use_shcf, char ***argv, int *argc)
+{
+    int		i;
+    char_u	*p, *d;
+    int		inquote;
+
+    /*
+     * Do this loop twice:
+     * 1: find number of arguments
+     * 2: separate them and build argv[]
+     */
+    for (i = 0; i < 2; ++i)
+    {
+	p = skipwhite(cmd);
+	inquote = FALSE;
+	*argc = 0;
+	for (;;)
+	{
+	    if (i == 1)
+		(*argv)[*argc] = (char *)p;
+	    ++*argc;
+	    d = p;
+	    while (*p != NUL && (inquote || (*p != ' ' && *p != TAB)))
+	    {
+		if (p[0] == '"')
+		    /* quotes surrounding an argument and are dropped */
+		    inquote = !inquote;
+		else
+		{
+		    if (p[0] == '\\' && p[1] != NUL)
+		    {
+			/* First pass: skip over "\ " and "\"".
+			 * Second pass: Remove the backslash. */
+			++p;
+		    }
+		    if (i == 1)
+			*d++ = *p;
+		}
+		++p;
+	    }
+	    if (*p == NUL)
+	    {
+		if (i == 1)
+		    *d++ = NUL;
+		break;
+	    }
+	    if (i == 1)
+		*d++ = NUL;
+	    p = skipwhite(p + 1);
+	}
+	if (*argv == NULL)
+	{
+	    if (use_shcf)
+	    {
+		/* Account for possible multiple args in p_shcf. */
+		p = p_shcf;
+		for (;;)
+		{
+		    p = skiptowhite(p);
+		    if (*p == NUL)
+			break;
+		    ++*argc;
+		    p = skipwhite(p);
+		}
+	    }
+
+	    *argv = (char **)alloc((unsigned)((*argc + 4) * sizeof(char *)));
+	    if (*argv == NULL)	    /* out of memory */
+		return FAIL;
+	}
+    }
+    return OK;
+}
+#endif