diff --git a/src/hdf5_interface.cpp b/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
index 726e036e60..ff1d173b34 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,35 @@ get_shape(hid_t obj_id, hsize_t* dims)
 }
 
 
+std::vector<hsize_t> attribute_shape(hid_t obj_id, const char* name)
+{
+  hid_t attr = H5Aopen(obj_id, name, H5P_DEFAULT);
+  std::vector<hsize_t> shape = object_shape(attr);
+  H5Aclose(attr);
+  return shape;
+}
+
+std::vector<hsize_t> object_shape(hid_t obj_id)
+{
+  // Get number of dimensions
+  auto type = H5Iget_type(obj_id);
+  hid_t dspace;
+  if (type == H5I_DATASET) {
+    dspace = H5Dget_space(obj_id);
+  } else if (type == H5I_ATTR) {
+    dspace = H5Aget_space(obj_id);
+  }
+  int n = H5Sget_simple_extent_ndims(dspace);
+
+  // Get shape of array
+  std::vector<hsize_t> shape(n);
+  H5Sget_simple_extent_dims(dspace, shape.data(), nullptr);
+
+  // Free resources and return
+  H5Sclose(dspace);
+  return shape;
+}
+
 void
 get_shape_attr(hid_t obj_id, const char* name, hsize_t* dims)
 {
diff --git a/src/hdf5_interface.h b/src/hdf5_interface.h
index d7d30e0a0c..d9b744685c 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_interface.h
+++ b/src/hdf5_interface.h
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ read_nd_vector(hid_t obj_id, const char* name,
                std::vector<std::vector<std::vector<std::vector<std::vector<double> > > > >& result,
                bool must_have = false);
 
+std::vector<hsize_t> attribute_shape(hid_t obj_id, const char* name);
+std::vector<hsize_t> object_shape(hid_t obj_id);
+
 //==============================================================================
 // Fortran compatibility functions
 //==============================================================================