diff --git a/docs/dev/Lua API.rst b/docs/dev/Lua API.rst
index d07cb045e..33e27be2d 100644
--- a/docs/dev/Lua API.rst	
+++ b/docs/dev/Lua API.rst	
@@ -1775,6 +1775,10 @@ Items module
 
   Checks whether the item and all items it contains, if any, can be traded.
 
+* ``dfhack.items.markForTrade(item, depot)``
+
+  Marks the given item for trade at the given depot.
+
 * ``dfhack.items.isRouteVehicle(item)``
 
   Checks whether the item is an assigned hauling vehicle.
diff --git a/library/LuaApi.cpp b/library/LuaApi.cpp
index d2c32cf63..5d9411434 100644
--- a/library/LuaApi.cpp
+++ b/library/LuaApi.cpp
@@ -2014,6 +2014,7 @@ static const LuaWrapper::FunctionReg dfhack_items_module[] = {
     WRAPM(Items, checkMandates),
     WRAPM(Items, canTrade),
     WRAPM(Items, canTradeWithContents),
+    WRAPM(Items, markForTrade),
     WRAPM(Items, isRouteVehicle),
     WRAPM(Items, isSquadEquipment),
     WRAPN(moveToGround, items_moveToGround),
diff --git a/library/include/modules/Items.h b/library/include/modules/Items.h
index 7f2c9ce69..08737fb2b 100644
--- a/library/include/modules/Items.h
+++ b/library/include/modules/Items.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ distribution.
 #include "MemAccess.h"
 
 #include "DataDefs.h"
+#include "df/building_tradedepotst.h"
 #include "df/item.h"
 #include "df/item_type.h"
 #include "df/general_ref.h"
@@ -199,6 +200,8 @@ DFHACK_EXPORT bool checkMandates(df::item *item);
 DFHACK_EXPORT bool canTrade(df::item *item);
 /// Checks whether the item and all items it contains, if any, can be traded
 DFHACK_EXPORT bool canTradeWithContents(df::item *item);
+/// marks the given item for trade at the given depot
+DFHACK_EXPORT bool markForTrade(df::item *item, df::building_tradedepotst *depot);
 
 /// Checks whether the item is an assigned hauling vehicle
 DFHACK_EXPORT bool isRouteVehicle(df::item *item);
diff --git a/library/modules/Items.cpp b/library/modules/Items.cpp
index 03d6cda4a..f98c7c46b 100644
--- a/library/modules/Items.cpp
+++ b/library/modules/Items.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ distribution.
 using namespace std;
 
 #include "ModuleFactory.h"
+#include "modules/Job.h"
 #include "modules/MapCache.h"
 #include "modules/Materials.h"
 #include "modules/Items.h"
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ using namespace std;
 #include "df/body_part_template_flags.h"
 #include "df/building.h"
 #include "df/building_actual.h"
+#include "df/building_tradedepotst.h"
 #include "df/caste_raw.h"
 #include "df/creature_raw.h"
 #include "df/general_ref.h"
@@ -1637,6 +1639,42 @@ bool Items::canTradeWithContents(df::item *item)
     return true;
 }
 
+bool Items::markForTrade(df::item *item, df::building_tradedepotst *depot) {
+    CHECK_NULL_POINTER(item);
+    CHECK_NULL_POINTER(depot);
+
+    // validate that the depot is in a good state
+    if (depot->getBuildStage() < depot->getMaxBuildStage())
+        return false;
+    if (depot->jobs.size() && depot->jobs[0]->job_type == df::job_type::DestroyBuilding)
+        return false;
+
+    auto href = df::allocate<df::general_ref_building_holderst>();
+    if (!href)
+        return false;
+
+    auto job = new df::job();
+    job->job_type = df::job_type::BringItemToDepot;
+    job->pos = df::coord(depot->centerx, depot->centery, depot->z);
+
+    // job <-> item link
+    if (!Job::attachJobItem(job, item, df::job_item_ref::Hauled)) {
+        delete job;
+        delete href;
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // job <-> building link
+    href->building_id = depot->id;
+    depot->jobs.push_back(job);
+    job->general_refs.push_back(href);
+
+    // add to job list
+    Job::linkIntoWorld(job);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool Items::isRouteVehicle(df::item *item)
 {
     CHECK_NULL_POINTER(item);
diff --git a/plugins/logistics.cpp b/plugins/logistics.cpp
index d62ee8c36..20b2c343f 100644
--- a/plugins/logistics.cpp
+++ b/plugins/logistics.cpp
@@ -323,31 +323,7 @@ public:
     bool designate(color_ostream& out, df::item* item) override {
         if (!depot)
             return false;
-
-        auto href = df::allocate<df::general_ref_building_holderst>();
-        if (!href)
-            return false;
-
-        auto job = new df::job();
-        job->job_type = df::job_type::BringItemToDepot;
-        job->pos = df::coord(depot->centerx, depot->centery, depot->z);
-
-        // job <-> item link
-        if (!Job::attachJobItem(job, item, df::job_item_ref::Hauled)) {
-            delete job;
-            delete href;
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        // job <-> building link
-        href->building_id = depot->id;
-        depot->jobs.push_back(job);
-        job->general_refs.push_back(href);
-
-        // add to job list
-        Job::linkIntoWorld(job);
-
-        return true;
+        return Items::markForTrade(item, depot);
     }
 
 private: