diff --git a/LUA_API.rst b/LUA_API.rst
index d13c1e52e..4d9170d6e 100644
--- a/LUA_API.rst
+++ b/LUA_API.rst
@@ -1308,6 +1308,11 @@ Basic painting functions:
 
   Returns *false* if coordinates out of bounds, or other error.
 
+* ``dfhack.screen.readTile(x,y)``
+
+  Retrieves the contents of the specified tile from the screen buffers.
+  Returns a pen, or *nil* if invalid or TrueType.
+
 * ``dfhack.screen.paintString(pen,x,y,text)``
 
   Paints the string starting at *x,y*. Uses the string characters
diff --git a/Lua API.html b/Lua API.html
index 546d27403..dc9c8d73e 100644
--- a/Lua API.html	
+++ b/Lua API.html	
@@ -1480,6 +1480,10 @@ Otherwise should be <em>true/false</em>.</p>
 </dl>
 <p>Returns <em>false</em> if coordinates out of bounds, or other error.</p>
 </li>
+<li><p class="first"><tt class="docutils literal">dfhack.screen.readTile(x,y)</tt></p>
+<p>Retrieves the contents of the specified tile from the screen buffers.
+Returns a pen, or <em>nil</em> if invalid or TrueType.</p>
+</li>
 <li><p class="first"><tt class="docutils literal">dfhack.screen.paintString(pen,x,y,text)</tt></p>
 <p>Paints the string starting at <em>x,y</em>. Uses the string characters
 in sequence to override the <tt class="docutils literal">ch</tt> field of pen.</p>
diff --git a/library/LuaApi.cpp b/library/LuaApi.cpp
index 63838d356..807cbf539 100644
--- a/library/LuaApi.cpp
+++ b/library/LuaApi.cpp
@@ -1154,6 +1154,45 @@ static int screen_paintTile(lua_State *L)
     return 1;
 }
 
+static int screen_readTile(lua_State *L)
+{
+    int x = luaL_checkint(L, 1);
+    int y = luaL_checkint(L, 2);
+    Pen pen = Screen::readTile(x, y);
+
+    if (!pen.valid())
+    {
+        lua_pushnil(L);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        lua_newtable(L);
+        lua_pushinteger(L, pen.ch); lua_setfield(L, -2, "ch");
+        lua_pushinteger(L, pen.fg); lua_setfield(L, -2, "fg");
+        lua_pushinteger(L, pen.bg); lua_setfield(L, -2, "bg");
+        lua_pushboolean(L, pen.bold); lua_setfield(L, -2, "bold");
+
+        if (pen.tile)
+        {
+            lua_pushinteger(L, pen.tile); lua_setfield(L, -2, "tile");
+
+            switch (pen.tile_mode) {
+                case Pen::CharColor:
+                    lua_pushboolean(L, true); lua_setfield(L, -2, "tile_color");
+                    break;
+                case Pen::TileColor:
+                    lua_pushinteger(L, pen.tile_fg); lua_setfield(L, -2, "tile_fg");
+                    lua_pushinteger(L, pen.tile_bg); lua_setfield(L, -2, "tile_bg");
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return 1;
+}
+
 static int screen_paintString(lua_State *L)
 {
     Pen pen;
@@ -1258,6 +1297,7 @@ static const luaL_Reg dfhack_screen_funcs[] = {
     { "getMousePos", screen_getMousePos },
     { "getWindowSize", screen_getWindowSize },
     { "paintTile", screen_paintTile },
+    { "readTile", screen_readTile },
     { "paintString", screen_paintString },
     { "fillRect", screen_fillRect },
     { "findGraphicsTile", screen_findGraphicsTile },
diff --git a/library/include/modules/Screen.h b/library/include/modules/Screen.h
index 492e1eecc..4f47205f2 100644
--- a/library/include/modules/Screen.h
+++ b/library/include/modules/Screen.h
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ namespace DFHack
             } tile_mode;
             int8_t tile_fg, tile_bg;
 
+            bool valid() const { return tile >= 0; }
+            bool empty() const { return ch == 0 && tile == 0; }
+
             Pen(char ch = 0, int8_t fg = 7, int8_t bg = 0, int tile = 0, bool color_tile = false)
               : ch(ch), fg(fg&7), bg(bg), bold(!!(fg&8)),
                 tile(tile), tile_mode(color_tile ? CharColor : AsIs), tile_fg(0), tile_bg(0)
@@ -92,6 +95,9 @@ namespace DFHack
         /// Paint one screen tile with the given pen
         DFHACK_EXPORT bool paintTile(const Pen &pen, int x, int y);
 
+        /// Retrieves one screen tile from the buffer
+        DFHACK_EXPORT Pen readTile(int x, int y);
+
         /// Paint a string onto the screen. Ignores ch and tile of pen.
         DFHACK_EXPORT bool paintString(const Pen &pen, int x, int y, const std::string &text);
 
diff --git a/library/modules/Screen.cpp b/library/modules/Screen.cpp
index c2377f2ca..9f258fe02 100644
--- a/library/modules/Screen.cpp
+++ b/library/modules/Screen.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static void doSetTile(const Pen &pen, int index)
 
 bool Screen::paintTile(const Pen &pen, int x, int y)
 {
-    if (!gps) return false;
+    if (!gps || !pen.valid()) return false;
 
     int dimx = gps->dimx, dimy = gps->dimy;
     if (x < 0 || x >= dimx || y < 0 || y >= dimy) return false;
@@ -109,6 +109,41 @@ bool Screen::paintTile(const Pen &pen, int x, int y)
     return true;
 }
 
+Pen Screen::readTile(int x, int y)
+{
+    if (!gps) return Pen(0,0,0,-1);
+
+    int dimx = gps->dimx, dimy = gps->dimy;
+    if (x < 0 || x >= dimx || y < 0 || y >= dimy)
+        return Pen(0,0,0,-1);
+
+    int index = x*dimy + y;
+    auto screen = gps->screen + index*4;
+    if (screen[3] & 0x80)
+        return Pen(0,0,0,-1);
+
+    Pen pen(
+        screen[0], screen[1], screen[2], screen[3]?true:false,
+        gps->screentexpos[index]
+    );
+
+    if (pen.tile)
+    {
+        if (gps->screentexpos_grayscale[index])
+        {
+            pen.tile_mode = Screen::Pen::TileColor;
+            pen.tile_fg = gps->screentexpos_cf[index];
+            pen.tile_bg = gps->screentexpos_cbr[index];
+        }
+        else if (gps->screentexpos_addcolor[index])
+        {
+            pen.tile_mode = Screen::Pen::CharColor;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return pen;
+}
+
 bool Screen::paintString(const Pen &pen, int x, int y, const std::string &text)
 {
     if (!gps || y < 0 || y >= gps->dimy) return false;
@@ -132,7 +167,7 @@ bool Screen::paintString(const Pen &pen, int x, int y, const std::string &text)
 
 bool Screen::fillRect(const Pen &pen, int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2)
 {
-    if (!gps) return false;
+    if (!gps || !pen.valid()) return false;
 
     if (x1 < 0) x1 = 0;
     if (y1 < 0) y1 = 0;