diff --git a/panda/src/express/typeHandle.I b/panda/src/express/typeHandle.I
index 941e5550fb..a4ea325195 100644
--- a/panda/src/express/typeHandle.I
+++ b/panda/src/express/typeHandle.I
@@ -104,6 +104,19 @@ operator >= (const TypeHandle &other) const {
   return (_index >= other._index);
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: TypeHandle::compare_to
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Sorts TypeHandles arbitrarily (according to <, >,
+//               etc.).  Returns a number less than 0 if this type
+//               sorts before the other one, greater than zero if it
+//               sorts after, 0 if they are equivalent.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+INLINE int TypeHandle::
+compare_to(const TypeHandle &other) const {
+  return _index - other._index;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: TypeHandle::get_name
 //       Access: Published
diff --git a/panda/src/express/typeHandle.h b/panda/src/express/typeHandle.h
index a7714ce974..770b9724d8 100644
--- a/panda/src/express/typeHandle.h
+++ b/panda/src/express/typeHandle.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE bool operator <= (const TypeHandle &other) const;
   INLINE bool operator > (const TypeHandle &other) const;
   INLINE bool operator >= (const TypeHandle &other) const;
+  INLINE int compare_to(const TypeHandle &other) const;
 
   INLINE string get_name(TypedObject *object = (TypedObject *)NULL) const;
   INLINE bool is_derived_from(TypeHandle parent,