diff --git a/pillar/api/projects/utils.py b/pillar/api/projects/utils.py
index 1a8c74b1..7ae591b1 100644
--- a/pillar/api/projects/utils.py
+++ b/pillar/api/projects/utils.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import logging
 
 from bson import ObjectId
-from flask import current_app
 from werkzeug import exceptions as wz_exceptions
 from werkzeug.exceptions import abort
 
+from pillar import current_app
 from pillar.auth import current_user
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -133,3 +133,14 @@ def get_node_type(project, node_type_name):
 
     return next((nt for nt in project['node_types']
                  if nt['name'] == node_type_name), None)
+
+
+def project_id(project_url: str) -> ObjectId:
+    """Returns the object ID, or raises a ValueError when not found."""
+
+    proj_coll = current_app.db('projects')
+    proj = proj_coll.find_one({'url': project_url}, projection={'_id': True})
+
+    if not proj:
+        raise ValueError(f'project with url={project_url!r} not found')
+    return proj['_id']
diff --git a/tests/test_api/test_project_utils.py b/tests/test_api/test_project_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..546ddad8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_api/test_project_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
+
+"""Unit tests for pillar.api.project.utils."""
+
+import logging
+
+from bson import ObjectId
+from pillar.tests import AbstractPillarTest
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class ProjectUtilsTest(AbstractPillarTest):
+    def test_project_id_from_url(self):
+        self.enter_app_context()
+
+        self.ensure_project_exists({'_id': ObjectId(24 * 'a'), 'url': 'project1'})
+        self.ensure_project_exists({'_id': ObjectId(24 * 'b'), 'url': 'project2'})
+        self.ensure_project_exists({'_id': ObjectId(24 * 'c'), 'url': 'project3'})
+
+        from pillar.api.projects.utils import project_id
+
+        pid1 = project_id('project1')
+        pid2 = project_id('project2')
+        pid3 = project_id('project3')
+
+        self.assertEqual(ObjectId(24 * 'a'), pid1)
+        self.assertEqual(ObjectId(24 * 'b'), pid2)
+        self.assertEqual(ObjectId(24 * 'c'), pid3)