diff --git a/pilosa.go b/pilosa.go
index a334a2be1..8768541ef 100644
--- a/pilosa.go
+++ b/pilosa.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package pilosa
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/internal"
 )
@@ -56,6 +57,9 @@ var (
 	ErrFragmentNotFound = errors.New("fragment not found")
 	ErrQueryRequired    = errors.New("query required")
 	ErrTooManyWrites    = errors.New("too many write commands")
+
+	ErrConfigHosts         = errors.New("missing bind address in cluster hosts")
+	ErrConfigBroadcastPort = errors.New("missing broadcast port in internal-hosts")
 )
 
 // Regular expression to validate index and frame names.
@@ -132,3 +136,23 @@ func ValidateLabel(label string) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// StringInSlice checks is substring a is in the slice
+func StringInSlice(a string, list []string) bool {
+	for _, b := range list {
+		if b == a {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// ContainsSubstring checks is substring a is contained in the slice
+func ContainsSubstring(a string, list []string) bool {
+	for _, b := range list {
+		if strings.Contains(b, a) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/pilosa_test.go b/pilosa_test.go
index 7f43fefbf..3b136dd56 100644
--- a/pilosa_test.go
+++ b/pilosa_test.go
@@ -54,3 +54,27 @@ func TestValidateLabelInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestStringInSlice(t *testing.T) {
+	list := []string{"localhost:10101", "localhost:10102", "localhost:10103"}
+	substr := "localhost:10101"
+	if !pilosa.StringInSlice(substr, list) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected substring %s in %v", substr, list)
+	}
+	substr = "10101"
+	if pilosa.StringInSlice(substr, list) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected substring %s not in %v", substr, list)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestContainsSubstring(t *testing.T) {
+	list := []string{"localhost:10101", "localhost:10102", "localhost:10103"}
+	substr := "10101"
+	if !pilosa.ContainsSubstring(substr, list) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected substring %s contained in %v", substr, list)
+	}
+	substr = "4000"
+	if pilosa.ContainsSubstring(substr, list) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected substring %s in not contained in %v", substr, list)
+	}
+}