diff --git a/MeshLib/PropertyVector.h b/MeshLib/PropertyVector.h
index 4f4ffdb1e6e3066bced449e6dd27deb840b46b93..eef83543751df8be5515f108c8528b31062c0138 100644
--- a/MeshLib/PropertyVector.h
+++ b/MeshLib/PropertyVector.h
@@ -68,6 +68,15 @@ public:
         return std::vector<PROP_VAL_TYPE>::size() / _n_components;
     }
 
+    //! Returns the value for the given component stored in the given tuple.
+    PROP_VAL_TYPE& getComponent(std::size_t tuple_index, std::size_t component)
+    {
+        assert(component < _n_components);
+        assert(tuple_index < getNumberOfTuples());
+        return this->operator[](tuple_index* getNumberOfComponents() +
+                                component);
+    }
+
     //! Returns the value for the given component stored in the given tuple.
     PROP_VAL_TYPE const& getComponent(std::size_t tuple_index,
                                       std::size_t component) const