diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index 6068eb966..60ca5c6cb 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -732,6 +732,10 @@ int ncplane_at_yx_cell(struct ncplane* n, int y, int x, cell* c);
 uint32_t* ncplane_rgba(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx,
                        int leny, int lenx);
 
+// return a nul-terminated, heap copy of the current (UTF-8) contents.
+API char* ncplane_contents(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx,
+                           int leny, int lenx);
+
 // Manipulate the opaque user pointer associated with this plane.
 // ncplane_set_userptr() returns the previous userptr after replacing
 // it with 'opaque'. the others simply return the userptr.
@@ -2131,7 +2135,7 @@ struct ncplane* ncreader_plane(struct ncreader* n);
 // are relevant to an ncreader, save synthesized ones.
 bool ncreader_offer_input(struct ncreader* n, const struct ncinput* ni);
 
-// return a heap-allocated copy of the current (UTF-8) contents.
+// return a nul-terminated heap copy of the current (UTF-8) contents.
 char* ncreader_contents(const struct ncreader* n);
 
 // destroy the reader and its bound plane. if 'contents' is not NULL, the
diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
index 75d8cc82f..1454e53b1 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_plane.3.md
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ notcurses_plane - operations on ncplanes
 
 **uint32_t* ncplane_rgba(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx, int leny, int lenx);**
 
+**char* ncplane_contents(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx, int leny, int lenx);**
+
 **void* ncplane_set_userptr(struct ncplane* n, void* opaque);**
 
 **void* ncplane_userptr(struct ncplane* n);**
diff --git a/include/ncpp/Plane.hh b/include/ncpp/Plane.hh
index c8d6d329f..ac2a7205c 100644
--- a/include/ncpp/Plane.hh
+++ b/include/ncpp/Plane.hh
@@ -628,6 +628,16 @@ namespace ncpp
 			return error_guard<int> (ncplane_polyfill_yx (plane, y, x, c), -1);
 		}
 
+		uint32_t* rgba(int begy, int begx, int leny, int lenx) const noexcept
+		{
+			return ncplane_rgba (plane, begy, begx, leny, lenx);
+		}
+
+		char* content(int begy, int begx, int leny, int lenx) const noexcept
+		{
+			return ncplane_contents (plane, begy, begx, leny, lenx);
+		}
+
 		uint64_t get_channels () const noexcept
 		{
 			return ncplane_channels (plane);
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 101a64406..d36e07277 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -1190,9 +1190,17 @@ ncplane_at_yx_cell(struct ncplane* n, int y, int x, cell* c){
 // Start at the plane's 'begy'x'begx' coordinate (which must lie on the
 // plane), continuing for 'leny'x'lenx' cells. Either or both of 'leny' and
 // 'lenx' can be specified as -1 to go through the boundary of the plane.
+// Only spaces, half blocks, and full blocks may be present.
 API uint32_t* ncplane_rgba(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx,
                            int leny, int lenx);
 
+// Create a flat string from the EGCs of the selected region of the ncplane
+// 'nc'. Start at the plane's 'begy'x'begx' coordinate (which must lie on the
+// plane), continuing for 'leny'x'lenx' cells. Either or both of 'leny' and
+// 'lenx' can be specified as -1 to go through the boundary of the plane.
+API char* ncplane_contents(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx,
+                           int leny, int lenx);
+
 // Manipulate the opaque user pointer associated with this plane.
 // ncplane_set_userptr() returns the previous userptr after replacing
 // it with 'opaque'. the others simply return the userptr.
diff --git a/python/src/notcurses/build_notcurses.py b/python/src/notcurses/build_notcurses.py
index 959114808..2dfa0c60e 100644
--- a/python/src/notcurses/build_notcurses.py
+++ b/python/src/notcurses/build_notcurses.py
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ int ncplane_at_cursor_cell(struct ncplane* n, cell* c);
 char* ncplane_at_yx(const struct ncplane* n, int y, int x, uint32_t* attrword, uint64_t* channels);
 int ncplane_at_yx_cell(struct ncplane* n, int y, int x, cell* c);
 uint32_t* ncplane_rgba(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx, int leny, int lenx);
+char* ncplane_contents(const struct ncplane* nc, int begy, int begx, int leny, int lenx);
 void* ncplane_set_userptr(struct ncplane* n, void* opaque);
 void* ncplane_userptr(struct ncplane* n);
 int ncplane_resize(struct ncplane* n, int keepy, int keepx, int keepleny,