diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e21398e..cda6a6e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -37,3 +37,6 @@ include/version.h
 nbproject
 config.guess.dh-orig
 config.sub.dh-orig
+debian/libsexpr*
+debian/files
+debian/tmp
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3dee3e2..2cbc10b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 
-AC_INIT(libsexpr, 1.3.0)
+AC_INIT(libsexpr, 1.3.1)
 
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index f50a2db..8bc26b6 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
+libsexpr (1.3.1) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * Release 1.3.1 Added helper functions to operate with S-expressions
+
+ -- Alexander Vdolainen <vdo@askele.com>  Wed, 20 May 2015 15:33:00 +0300
+
 libsexpr (1.3.0) stable; urgency=low
 
   * Initial release (Closes: #nnnn)  <nnnn is the bug number of your ITP>
 
- -- Alexander Vdolainen <vdo@daze>  Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:52:48 +0200
+ -- Alexander Vdolainen <vdo@askele.com>  Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:52:48 +0200
diff --git a/debian/shlibs.local.ex b/debian/shlibs.local.ex
index caeda72..0a29093 100644
--- a/debian/shlibs.local.ex
+++ b/debian/shlibs.local.ex
@@ -1 +1 @@
-liblibsexpr 1.3.0 libsexpr (>> 1.3.0), libsexpr (<< 1.3.99)
+liblibsexpr 1.3.1 libsexpr (>> 1.3.0), libsexpr (<< 1.3.99)
diff --git a/debian/source/format b/debian/source/format
deleted file mode 100644
index 163aaf8..0000000
--- a/debian/source/format
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-3.0 (quilt)
diff --git a/include/sexpr/sexp.h b/include/sexpr/sexp.h
index e54987d..891a0cd 100644
--- a/include/sexpr/sexp.h
+++ b/include/sexpr/sexp.h
@@ -779,6 +779,27 @@ extern "C" {
 }
 #endif
 
+/* sexp helpers */
+#define SEXP_IS_LIST(sx) \
+        ((sx)->ty == SEXP_LIST) ? 1 : 0
+
+#define SEXP_IS_TYPE(sx,type) \
+        ((sx)->ty == SEXP_VALUE && (sx)->aty == (type)) ? 1 : 0
+
+#define SEXP_ITERATE_LIST(lst, iter, ind) \
+        for((ind) = 0, (iter) = (lst)->list; (ind) < sexp_list_length(lst); \
+            (ind)++, (iter) = (iter)->next)
+
+/* additional functions to work with sexp */
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+int sexp_list_cdr(sexp_t *expr, sexp_t **sx);
+int sexp_list_car(sexp_t *expr, sexp_t **sx);
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
 #include "sexp_ops.h"
 
 #endif /* __SEXP_H__ */
diff --git a/lib/sexp.c b/lib/sexp.c
index 63759ac..8232fc8 100644
--- a/lib/sexp.c
+++ b/lib/sexp.c
@@ -564,3 +564,26 @@ sexp_t *new_sexp_atom(const char *buf, size_t bs, atom_t aty) {
 
   return sx;
 }
+
+/* sexp helpers */
+int sexp_list_car(sexp_t *expr, sexp_t **sx)
+{
+  if (!SEXP_IS_LIST(expr) || expr->list->ty != SEXP_VALUE)    return 1;
+
+  *sx = expr->list;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+int sexp_list_cdr(sexp_t *expr, sexp_t **sx)
+{
+  /* Dummy function. Can we do cdr properly? */
+  if (!SEXP_IS_LIST(expr) || expr->list->ty != SEXP_VALUE)    return 1;
+
+  if (!expr->list->next)    *sx = NULL;
+  else    *sx = expr->list->next;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+