diff --git a/lib/chef-helpers/has_source.rb b/lib/chef-helpers/has_source.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dccac8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/chef-helpers/has_source.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+require 'chef/recipe'
+require 'chef/resource/file'
+
+module ChefHelpers
+  # Provides means for checking whether a template or cookbook file
+  # exist in a recipe, or directly in a resource definition.
+  module HasSource
+    # Checks for existence of a cookbook file or template source in a cookbook.
+    # @param [String] source name of the desired template or cookbook file source
+    # @param [Symbol] segment `:files` or `:templates`
+    # @param [String, nil] cookbook to look in, defaults to current cookbook
+    # @return [String, nil] full path to the source or `nil` if it doesn't exist
+    # @example
+    #   has_source?("foo.erb", :templates)
+    #   has_source?("bar.conf", :files, "a_cookbook")
+    def has_source?(source, segment, cookbook=nil)
+      cookbook ||= cookbook_name
+      begin
+        run_context.cookbook_collection[cookbook].
+          preferred_filename_on_disk_location(run_context.node, segment, src)
+      rescue Chef::Exceptions::FileNotFound
+        nil
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Checks for existence of a template source in a cookbook.
+    # @param [String] tmpl name of the template source
+    # @param [String,nil] cookbook cookbook to look in, defaults to current cookbook
+    # @return [String,nil] full path to the template source or `nil`
+    # @see #has_source?
+    def has_template?(tmpl, cookbook=nil)
+      has_source?(tmpl, :templates, cookbook)
+    end
+
+    # Checks for existence of a cookbook file in a cookbook.
+    # @param [String] cbf name of the cookbook file
+    # @param [String,nil] cookbook cookbook to look in, defaults to current cookbook
+    # @return [String,nil] full path to the template source or `nil`
+    # @see #has_source?
+    def has_cookbook_file?(cbf, cookbook=nil)
+      has_source?(tmpl, :files, cookbook)
+    end
+
+    # For a list of sources, returns first source that exist
+    # @param [Array<String>] sources list of source (template source
+    #     or cookbook file) names to look for. Source name can include
+    #     a cookbook name, e.g. `"mysql::my.cnf.erb"`
+    #
+    #     Last parameter can be a `:templates` or `:files` keword, to
+    #     indicate what kind of source to look for. If it is ommitted,
+    #     and method is called in a `template` or `cookbook_file`
+    #     resource block, it is automatically guessed; otherwise,
+    #     `RuntimeError` is raised.
+    def try_sources(*sources)
+      segment =
+        if sources.last.is_a?(Symbol)
+          sources.pop
+        else
+          case self
+          when Chef::Resource::Template
+            :templates
+          when Chef::Resource::CookbookFile
+            :files
+          else
+            raise RuntimeError, "Please provide :templates or :files as last argument"
+          end
+        end
+      sources.find do |source|
+        if source =~ /::/
+          src, ckbk = $`, $'
+        else
+          src, ckbk = source, cookbook_name
+        end
+        has_source?(src, segment, ckbk)
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Return the first template source off the list that exists.
+    # @see #try_sources
+    def try_templates(*templates)
+      try_sources(templates, :templates)
+    end
+
+    # Return the first cookbook file off the list that exists.
+    # @see #try_sources
+    def try_files(*files)
+      try_sources(files, :files)
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+class Chef::Recipe
+  include ChefHelpers::HasSource
+end
+
+class Chef::Resource::File
+  include ChefHelpers::HasSource
+end
diff --git a/lib/chef-helpers/version.rb b/lib/chef-helpers/version.rb
index 7b2a319..2234913 100644
--- a/lib/chef-helpers/version.rb
+++ b/lib/chef-helpers/version.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 module ChefHelpers
-  VERSION = "0.0.4"
+  VERSION = "0.0.5"
 end