diff --git a/includes/utilities.inc b/includes/utilities.inc
index df48c8519b5fed4f8fbb5c8fa09c90d09260d2e7..0eee637c5a4845d5bffc71c2990183b2e91deacd 100644
--- a/includes/utilities.inc
+++ b/includes/utilities.inc
@@ -295,3 +295,39 @@ function advagg_string_ends_with($haystack, $needle) {
   }
   return substr_compare($haystack, $needle, $haystack_len -$needle_len, $needle_len, TRUE) === 0;
 }
+
+if (!function_exists('array_merge_recursive_distinct')) {
+  /**
+  * Merges any number of arrays / parameters recursively, replacing
+  * entries with string keys with values from latter arrays.
+  * If the entry or the next value to be assigned is an array, then it
+  * automagically treats both arguments as an array.
+  * Numeric entries are appended, not replaced, but only if they are
+  * unique
+  *
+  * calling: result = array_merge_recursive_distinct(a1, a2, ... aN)
+ **/
+
+ function array_merge_recursive_distinct () {
+   $arrays = func_get_args();
+   $base = array_shift($arrays);
+   if(!is_array($base)) $base = empty($base) ? array() : array($base);
+   foreach($arrays as $append) {
+     if(!is_array($append)) $append = array($append);
+     foreach($append as $key => $value) {
+       if(!array_key_exists($key, $base) and !is_numeric($key)) {
+         $base[$key] = $append[$key];
+         continue;
+       }
+       if(is_array($value) or is_array($base[$key])) {
+         $base[$key] = array_merge_recursive_distinct($base[$key], $append[$key]);
+       } else if(is_numeric($key)) {
+         if(!in_array($value, $base)) $base[] = $value;
+       } else {
+         $base[$key] = $value;
+       }
+     }
+   }
+   return $base;
+ }
+}