diff --git a/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.cc b/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.cc
index 779286c6f1..0ddc328d10 100644
--- a/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.cc
+++ b/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.cc
@@ -190,6 +190,14 @@ void EpochManip::setCategory(EpochType& epoch, eEpochCategory const cat) {
   >(*epoch,cat);
 }
 
+/*static*/ inline eEpochCategory EpochManip::makeCat(
+  eEpochCategory c1, eEpochCategory c2
+) {
+  using T = typename std::underlying_type<eEpochCategory>::type;
+  auto ret = static_cast<T>(c1) | static_cast<T>(c2);
+  return static_cast<eEpochCategory>(ret);
+}
+
 /*static*/
 void EpochManip::setNode(EpochType& epoch, NodeType const node) {
   vtAssert(isRooted(epoch), "Must be rooted to manipulate the node");
diff --git a/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.h b/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.h
index c27649b87d..e6488a26a7 100644
--- a/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.h
+++ b/src/vt/epoch/epoch_manip.h
@@ -152,6 +152,14 @@ struct EpochManip : runtime::component::Component<EpochManip> {
    */
   static void setSeq(EpochType& epoch, EpochType::ImplType const seq);
 
+  /**
+   * \brief Combine eEpochCategory elements
+   *
+   * \param[in] c1 category 1
+   * \param[in] c2 category 2
+   */
+  static eEpochCategory makeCat(eEpochCategory c1, eEpochCategory c2);
+
   /*
    * General (stateless) methods for creating a epoch with certain properties
    * based on a current sequence number