diff --git a/src/analyzer/Analyzer.cc b/src/analyzer/Analyzer.cc
index 9a7d6aa05a..6a1c4725d7 100644
--- a/src/analyzer/Analyzer.cc
+++ b/src/analyzer/Analyzer.cc
@@ -386,10 +386,8 @@ void Analyzer::ForwardEndOfData(bool orig)
 bool Analyzer::AddChildAnalyzer(Analyzer* analyzer, bool init)
 	{
 	auto t = analyzer->GetAnalyzerTag();
-	auto it = std::find(prevented.begin(), prevented.end(), t);
-	auto prevent = (it != prevented.end());
 
-	if ( HasChildAnalyzer(t) || prevent )
+	if ( HasChildAnalyzer(t) || IsPreventedChildAnalyzer(t) )
 		{
 		analyzer->Done();
 		delete analyzer;
@@ -418,9 +416,7 @@ Analyzer* Analyzer::AddChildAnalyzer(const zeek::Tag& analyzer)
 	if ( HasChildAnalyzer(analyzer) )
 		return nullptr;
 
-	auto it = std::find(prevented.begin(), prevented.end(), analyzer);
-
-	if ( it != prevented.end() )
+	if ( IsPreventedChildAnalyzer(tag) )
 		return nullptr;
 
 	Analyzer* a = analyzer_mgr->InstantiateAnalyzer(analyzer, conn);
@@ -468,27 +464,35 @@ bool Analyzer::Remove()
 	return removing;
 	}
 
-void Analyzer::PreventChildren(zeek::Tag tag)
+void Analyzer::PreventChildren(const zeek::Tag& tag)
 	{
-	auto it = std::find(prevented.begin(), prevented.end(), tag);
-
-	if ( it != prevented.end() )
+	if ( IsPreventedChildAnalyzer(tag) )
 		return;
 
 	prevented.emplace_back(tag);
 	}
 
-bool Analyzer::HasChildAnalyzer(zeek::Tag tag)
+bool Analyzer::IsPreventedChildAnalyzer(const zeek::Tag& tag) const
+	{
+	return std::find(prevented.begin(), prevented.end(), tag) != prevented.end();
+	}
+
+bool Analyzer::HasChildAnalyzer(const zeek::Tag& tag) const
+	{
+	return GetChildAnalyzer(tag) != nullptr;
+	}
+
+Analyzer* Analyzer::GetChildAnalyzer(const zeek::Tag& tag) const
 	{
 	LOOP_OVER_CHILDREN(i)
 	if ( (*i)->tag == tag && ! ((*i)->removing || (*i)->finished) )
-		return true;
+		return *i;
 
 	LOOP_OVER_GIVEN_CHILDREN(i, new_children)
 	if ( (*i)->tag == tag && ! ((*i)->removing || (*i)->finished) )
-		return true;
+		return *i;
 
-	return false;
+	return nullptr;
 	}
 
 Analyzer* Analyzer::FindChild(ID arg_id)
diff --git a/src/analyzer/Analyzer.h b/src/analyzer/Analyzer.h
index 8fa18c258b..a3b6b297c9 100644
--- a/src/analyzer/Analyzer.h
+++ b/src/analyzer/Analyzer.h
@@ -434,14 +434,36 @@ public:
 	 *
 	 * @param tag The type of analyzer to prevent.
 	 */
-	void PreventChildren(zeek::Tag tag);
+	void PreventChildren(const zeek::Tag& tag);
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns true if the given analyzer type is prevented from
+	 * being added as a child.
+	 *
+	 * @param tag The type of analyzer to prevent.
+	 *
+	 * @return true if the analyzer type is prevented, else false.
+	 */
+	bool IsPreventedChildAnalyzer(const zeek::Tag& tag) const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Returns true if analyzer has a direct child of a given type.
 	 *
 	 * @param tag The type of analyzer to check for.
 	 */
-	bool HasChildAnalyzer(zeek::Tag tag);
+	bool HasChildAnalyzer(const zeek::Tag& tag) const;
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns a pointer to a direct child analyzer of the given type.
+	 *
+	 * Note that the returned pointer is owned by the analyzer and may
+	 * be deleted without notification. Do not hold on to it.
+	 *
+	 * @param tag The type of the analyzer to check for.
+	 *
+	 * @return The analyzer, or null if not found.
+	 */
+	Analyzer* GetChildAnalyzer(const zeek::Tag& tag) const;
 
 	/**
 	 * Recursively searches all (direct or indirect) childs of the