diff --git a/qa/qa_utils.py b/qa/qa_utils.py
index bbf667cc46809bf9c30382068a760d9967c4a523..8ca367ed523c9f0b038026f6f7ee7ba301a8721b 100644
--- a/qa/qa_utils.py
+++ b/qa/qa_utils.py
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ def _SetupColours():
 _SetupColours()
 
 
+def AssertIn(item, sequence):
+  """Raises an error when item is not in sequence.
+
+  """
+  if item not in sequence:
+    raise qa_error.Error('%r not in %r' % (item, sequence))
+
+
 def AssertEqual(first, second):
   """Raises an error when values aren't equal.