diff --git a/core/io/config_file.cpp b/core/io/config_file.cpp
index 99da5122470..74e85d0cc0a 100644
--- a/core/io/config_file.cpp
+++ b/core/io/config_file.cpp
@@ -255,6 +255,22 @@ Error ConfigFile::_internal_load(const String &p_path, FileAccess *f) {
 	VariantParser::StreamFile stream;
 	stream.f = f;
 
+	Error err = _parse(p_path, &stream);
+
+	memdelete(f);
+
+	return err;
+}
+
+Error ConfigFile::parse(const String &p_data) {
+
+	VariantParser::StreamString stream;
+	stream.s = p_data;
+	return _parse("<string>", &stream);
+}
+
+Error ConfigFile::_parse(const String &p_path, VariantParser::Stream *p_stream) {
+
 	String assign;
 	Variant value;
 	VariantParser::Tag next_tag;
@@ -270,13 +286,11 @@ Error ConfigFile::_internal_load(const String &p_path, FileAccess *f) {
 		next_tag.fields.clear();
 		next_tag.name = String();
 
-		Error err = VariantParser::parse_tag_assign_eof(&stream, lines, error_text, next_tag, assign, value, NULL, true);
+		Error err = VariantParser::parse_tag_assign_eof(p_stream, lines, error_text, next_tag, assign, value, NULL, true);
 		if (err == ERR_FILE_EOF) {
-			memdelete(f);
 			return OK;
 		} else if (err != OK) {
-			ERR_PRINT("ConfgFile::load - " + p_path + ":" + itos(lines) + " error: " + error_text + ".");
-			memdelete(f);
+			ERR_PRINT("ConfgFile - " + p_path + ":" + itos(lines) + " error: " + error_text + ".");
 			return err;
 		}
 
@@ -286,6 +300,8 @@ Error ConfigFile::_internal_load(const String &p_path, FileAccess *f) {
 			section = next_tag.name;
 		}
 	}
+
+	return OK;
 }
 
 void ConfigFile::_bind_methods() {
@@ -303,6 +319,7 @@ void ConfigFile::_bind_methods() {
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("erase_section_key", "section", "key"), &ConfigFile::erase_section_key);
 
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("load", "path"), &ConfigFile::load);
+	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("parse", "data"), &ConfigFile::parse);
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("save", "path"), &ConfigFile::save);
 
 	ClassDB::bind_method(D_METHOD("load_encrypted", "path", "key"), &ConfigFile::load_encrypted);
diff --git a/core/io/config_file.h b/core/io/config_file.h
index 95a581d1566..2d61ef6afe9 100644
--- a/core/io/config_file.h
+++ b/core/io/config_file.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "core/ordered_hash_map.h"
 #include "core/os/file_access.h"
 #include "core/reference.h"
+#include "core/variant_parser.h"
 
 class ConfigFile : public Reference {
 
@@ -46,6 +47,8 @@ class ConfigFile : public Reference {
 	Error _internal_load(const String &p_path, FileAccess *f);
 	Error _internal_save(FileAccess *file);
 
+	Error _parse(const String &p_path, VariantParser::Stream *p_stream);
+
 protected:
 	static void _bind_methods();
 
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@ public:
 
 	Error save(const String &p_path);
 	Error load(const String &p_path);
+	Error parse(const String &p_data);
 
 	Error load_encrypted(const String &p_path, const Vector<uint8_t> &p_key);
 	Error load_encrypted_pass(const String &p_path, const String &p_pass);
diff --git a/doc/classes/ConfigFile.xml b/doc/classes/ConfigFile.xml
index 7eaa815a879..ad36f1f1c38 100644
--- a/doc/classes/ConfigFile.xml
+++ b/doc/classes/ConfigFile.xml
@@ -129,6 +129,16 @@
 			<description>
 			</description>
 		</method>
+		<method name="parse">
+			<return type="int" enum="Error">
+			</return>
+			<argument index="0" name="data" type="String">
+			</argument>
+			<description>
+				Parses the the passed string as the contents of a config file. The string is parsed and loaded in the ConfigFile object which the method was called on.
+				Returns one of the [enum Error] code constants ([code]OK[/code] on success).
+			</description>
+		</method>
 		<method name="save">
 			<return type="int" enum="Error">
 			</return>