--- a/mercurial/hg.py	Wed Jun 08 18:24:33 2011 +0200
+++ b/mercurial/hg.py	Fri Jun 10 11:43:38 2011 -0500
@@ -98,6 +98,11 @@
             hook(ui, repo)
     return repo
 
+def peer(ui, opts, path, create=False):
+    '''return a repository peer for the specified path'''
+    rui = remoteui(ui, opts)
+    return repository(rui, path, create)
+
 def defaultdest(source):
     '''return default destination of clone if none is given'''
     return os.path.basename(os.path.normpath(source))