diff --git a/src/compiler.c b/src/compiler.c
index 36b6b5b..5742e45 100644
--- a/src/compiler.c
+++ b/src/compiler.c
@@ -764,6 +764,59 @@ claimCreate (const System sys, const Protocol protocol, const Role role,
   return cl;
 }
 
+//! Parse a match event, and add role definitions for it
+/**
+ * Implemented as pure syntactic sugar:
+ *
+ *   match(pattern,term)
+ *
+ * is essentially replaced by:
+ *
+ *   fresh XX;
+ *   send( {term}XX );
+ *   recv( {pattern}XX );
+ *
+ */
+void
+matchEvent (Tac tc)
+{
+  Term myrole;
+  Term msg1, msg2;
+  Term tvar;
+  Term mmsg;
+  Term mpat;
+  Symbol nsymb;
+  Term label1;
+  Labelinfo linfo;
+
+  /* Create fresh Nonce variable */
+  nsymb = symbolNextFree(TermSymb(TERM_Hidden));
+  tvar = symbolDeclare(nsymb,false);
+  //tvar->stype = termlistAdd(NULL,TERM_Nonce);
+
+  /* Make the concrete messages */
+  mpat = tacTerm (tc->t1.tac);
+  mmsg = tacTerm (tc->t2.tac);
+  msg1 = makeTermEncrypt(mmsg,tvar);
+  msg2 = makeTermEncrypt(mpat,tvar);
+
+  /* Declare the const */
+  thisRole->declaredconsts = termlistAdd(thisRole->declaredconsts, tvar);
+
+  /* And send & recv combo (implementing the syntactic sugar) */
+  label1 = freshTermPrefix(LABEL_Match);
+  linfo = label_create (label1, thisProtocol);
+  sys->labellist = list_append (sys->labellist, linfo);
+  myrole = thisRole->nameterm;
+
+  /* add send event */
+  thisRole->roledef = roledefAdd (thisRole->roledef, SEND, label1, myrole, myrole, msg1, NULL);
+  markLastRoledef (thisRole->roledef, tc->lineno);
+  /* add recv event */
+  thisRole->roledef = roledefAdd (thisRole->roledef, RECV, label1, myrole, myrole, msg2, NULL);
+  markLastRoledef (thisRole->roledef, tc->lineno);
+}
+
 //! Parse a communication event tc of type event, and add a role definition event for it.
 void
 commEvent (int event, Tac tc)
@@ -1185,6 +1238,9 @@ roleCompile (Term nameterm, Tac tc)
 	    firstEvent = 0;
 	    commEvent (SEND, tc);
 	    break;
+	  case TAC_MATCH:
+	    matchEvent (tc);
+	    break;
 	  case TAC_CLAIM:
 	    commEvent (CLAIM, tc);
 	    break;
diff --git a/src/parser.y b/src/parser.y
index 78868e2..b1df431 100644
--- a/src/parser.y
+++ b/src/parser.y
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ int yylex(void);
 %token 		HASHFUNCTION
 %token		KNOWS
 %token		TRUSTED
+%token 		MATCH
 
 %type	<tac>	spdlcomplete
 %type	<tac>	spdlrep
@@ -196,6 +197,15 @@ event		: READT label '(' termlist ')' ';'
 			t->t2.tac = $4;
 			$$ = t;
 		  }
+		| MATCH '(' term ',' term ')' ';'
+		  {
+		  	/* first argument is pattern, second should be
+			 * ground term */
+		  	Tac t= tacCreate(TAC_MATCH);
+			t->t1.tac = $3;
+			t->t2.tac = $5;
+			$$ = t;
+		  }
 		| CLAIMT optlabel '(' termlist ')' ';'
 		/* TODO maybe claims should be in the syntax */
 		  {	Tac t = tacCreate(TAC_CLAIM);
diff --git a/src/scanner.l b/src/scanner.l
index fa23f4c..cd7092f 100644
--- a/src/scanner.l
+++ b/src/scanner.l
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ role		{ return ROLE; }
 read		{ return READT; }
 recv		{ return RECVT; }
 send		{ return SENDT; }
+match		{ return MATCH; }
 var		{ return VAR; }
 const		{ return CONST; }
 fresh		{ return FRESH; }
diff --git a/src/specialterm.c b/src/specialterm.c
index 6459bd7..6244c8f 100644
--- a/src/specialterm.c
+++ b/src/specialterm.c
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ Term TERM_PK;
 Term TERM_SK;
 Term TERM_K;
 
+Term LABEL_Match;
+
 Termlist CLAIMS_dep_prec;
 
 //! Init special terms
@@ -118,6 +120,9 @@ specialTermInit (const System sys)
   knowledgeAddInverse (sys->know, TERM_PK, TERM_SK);
   knowledgeAddTerm (sys->know, TERM_PK);
 
+  /* Define a prefix for labels for the match function */
+  langcons (LABEL_Match, "!Match", TERM_Hidden);
+
   /* Construct a list of claims that depend on prec being not-empty */
   /* basically all authentication claims */
   CLAIMS_dep_prec = termlistAdd (NULL, CLAIM_Niagree);
diff --git a/src/specialterm.h b/src/specialterm.h
index 3a9f510..f5d5497 100644
--- a/src/specialterm.h
+++ b/src/specialterm.h
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ extern Term TERM_PK;
 extern Term TERM_SK;
 extern Term TERM_K;
 
+extern Term LABEL_Match;
+
 extern Termlist CLAIMS_dep_prec;
 
 void specialTermInit (const System sys);
diff --git a/src/tac.h b/src/tac.h
index f816b78..0ff1599 100644
--- a/src/tac.h
+++ b/src/tac.h
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ enum tactypes
   TAC_HASHFUNCTION,
   TAC_UNTRUSTED,
   TAC_COMPROMISED,
-  TAC_USERTYPE
+  TAC_USERTYPE,
+  TAC_MATCH
 };
 
 //! Structure to hold the compilation tree nodes