diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2725170..fc78465 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -318,6 +318,16 @@ Removes all gui text nodes created by `richtext.create()`.
 * `words` (table) - Table of words, as received from a call to `richtext.create()`.
 
 
+### richtext.plaintext(words)
+Returns the words created by `richtext.create()` as a plain text string without any formatting or tags. Linebreaks are included in the returned string.
+
+**PARAMETERS**
+* `words` (table) - Table of words, as received from a call to `richtext.create()`.
+
+**RETURNS**
+* `plaintext` (string) - Plain text version of the words.
+
+
 ### richtext.ALIGN_LEFT
 Left-align text. The words of a line starts at the specified position (see `richtext.create` settings above).
 
diff --git a/example/example.gui_script b/example/example.gui_script
index 499e284..d01d674 100644
--- a/example/example.gui_script
+++ b/example/example.gui_script
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ local function create_complex_example()
 	local words, metrics = richtext.create(text, "Roboto", settings)
 
 	print("The text consists of " .. tostring(metrics.char_count) .. " characters")
+	print("The plain-text is " .. richtext.plaintext(words))
 
 	-- adjust background to cover text
 	gui.set_size(settings.parent, vmath.vector3(metrics.width, metrics.height, 0))
diff --git a/richtext/richtext.lua b/richtext/richtext.lua
index f9106eb..032d290 100755
--- a/richtext/richtext.lua
+++ b/richtext/richtext.lua
@@ -721,5 +721,19 @@ function M.remove(words)
 	end
 end
 
+function M.plaintext(words)
+	local s = ""
+	for i=1,#words do
+		local word = words[i]
+		if word.text then
+			s = s .. word.text
+			if word.linebreak then
+				s = s .. "\n"
+			end
+		end
+	end
+	return s
+end
+
 
 return M