diff --git a/vlib/strings/builder.c.v b/vlib/strings/builder.c.v
index 5271d46c8c..2e7e7b1bb0 100644
--- a/vlib/strings/builder.c.v
+++ b/vlib/strings/builder.c.v
@@ -176,6 +176,28 @@ pub fn (mut b Builder) str() string {
 	return s
 }
 
+// ensure_cap ensures that the buffer has enough space for at least `n` bytes by growing the buffer if necessary
+pub fn (mut b Builder) ensure_cap(n int) {
+	// code adapted from vlib/builtin/array.v
+	if n <= b.cap {
+		return
+	}
+
+	new_data := vcalloc(n * b.element_size)
+	if b.data != voidptr(0) {
+		unsafe { vmemcpy(new_data, b.data, b.len * b.element_size) }
+		// TODO: the old data may be leaked when no GC is used (ref-counting?)
+		if b.flags.has(.noslices) {
+			unsafe { free(b.data) }
+		}
+	}
+	unsafe {
+		b.data = new_data
+		b.offset = 0
+		b.cap = n
+	}
+}
+
 // free is for manually freeing the contents of the buffer
 [unsafe]
 pub fn (mut b Builder) free() {
diff --git a/vlib/strings/builder_test.v b/vlib/strings/builder_test.v
index 1bcc54a058..151e1b989a 100644
--- a/vlib/strings/builder_test.v
+++ b/vlib/strings/builder_test.v
@@ -112,3 +112,18 @@ fn test_write_runes() {
 	x := sb.str()
 	assert x == 'hello world'
 }
+
+fn test_ensure_cap() {
+	mut sb := strings.new_builder(0)
+	assert sb.cap == 0
+	sb.ensure_cap(10)
+	assert sb.cap == 10
+	sb.ensure_cap(10)
+	assert sb.cap == 10
+	sb.ensure_cap(15)
+	assert sb.cap == 15
+	sb.ensure_cap(10)
+	assert sb.cap == 15
+	sb.ensure_cap(-1)
+	assert sb.cap == 15
+}