diff --git a/linux-ramdump-parser-v2/ramdump.py b/linux-ramdump-parser-v2/ramdump.py
index e2b3bea7c9e63b8d1b1ba0757d75153352c68f06..5fac4d17f6b993185579e506cd01fe7ae124de48 100644
--- a/linux-ramdump-parser-v2/ramdump.py
+++ b/linux-ramdump-parser-v2/ramdump.py
@@ -1025,6 +1025,16 @@ class RamDump():
         else:
             return s[0]
 
+    # returns a value guaranteed to be 64 bits
+    def read_u64(self, address, virtual=True, trace=False, cpu=None):
+        if trace:
+            print_out_str('reading {0:x}'.format(address))
+        s = self.read_string(address, '<Q', virtual, trace, cpu)
+        if s is None:
+            return None
+        else:
+            return s[0]
+
     # returns a value guaranteed to be 32 bits
     def read_u32(self, address, virtual=True, trace=False, cpu=None):
         if trace: