diff --git a/ferveo/src/bindings_python.rs b/ferveo/src/bindings_python.rs
index d746fd1c..0c5db521 100644
--- a/ferveo/src/bindings_python.rs
+++ b/ferveo/src/bindings_python.rs
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ pub fn decrypt_with_shared_secret(
 }
 
 #[pyclass(module = "ferveo")]
-struct FerveoVariant {}
+pub struct FerveoVariant {}
 
 #[pymethods]
 impl FerveoVariant {
@@ -283,6 +283,13 @@ impl FerveoVariant {
     }
 }
 
+impl FerveoVariant {
+    pub fn inner_form_string(variant: &str) -> PyResult<api::FerveoVariant> {
+        api::FerveoVariant::from_string(variant)
+            .map_err(|err| FerveoPythonError::FerveoError(err).into())
+    }
+}
+
 #[pyclass(module = "ferveo")]
 #[derive(derive_more::AsRef)]
 pub struct SharedSecret(api::SharedSecret);