diff --git a/tests/functional/common/vars-and-functions.sh.in b/tests/functional/common/vars-and-functions.sh.in
index 3975986c0..e7e2fc770 100644
--- a/tests/functional/common/vars-and-functions.sh.in
+++ b/tests/functional/common/vars-and-functions.sh.in
@@ -283,6 +283,11 @@ grepQuietInverse() {
     ! grep "$@" > /dev/null
 }
 
+# Return the number of arguments
+count() {
+  echo $#
+}
+
 trap onError ERR
 
 fi # COMMON_VARS_AND_FUNCTIONS_SH_SOURCED