diff --git a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/JDBCUtil.java b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/JDBCUtil.java
index 81e521b5..e3f533bc 100644
--- a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/JDBCUtil.java
+++ b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/JDBCUtil.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: JDBCUtil.java,v 1.2 2001/08/11 22:43:28 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: JDBCUtil.java,v 1.3 2002/02/01 18:33:16 mdb Exp $
 //
 // samskivert library - useful routines for java programs
 // Copyright (C) 2001 Michael Bayne
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ package com.samskivert.jdbc;
 
 import java.sql.*;
 
+import com.samskivert.io.PersistenceException;
+
 /**
  * A repository for JDBC related utility functions.
  */
@@ -50,4 +52,22 @@ public class JDBCUtil
 	    conn.close();
 	}
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Calls <code>stmt.executeUpdate()</code> on the supplied statement,
+     * checking to see that it returns the expected update count and
+     * throwing a persistence exception if it does not.
+     */
+    public static void checkedUpdate (
+        PreparedStatement stmt, int expectedCount)
+        throws SQLException, PersistenceException
+    {
+        int modified = stmt.executeUpdate();
+        if (modified != expectedCount) {
+            String err = "Statement did not modify expected number of rows " +
+                "[stmt=" + stmt + ", expected=" + expectedCount +
+                ", modified=" + modified + "]";
+            throw new PersistenceException(err);
+        }
+    }
 }