diff --git a/src/runtime2/inbox.rs b/src/runtime2/inbox.rs
index 1260a183ef590ff04c7fd96b068a795795d9565d..9175a2239cf60bb154e70b9e28c11d94d1d02fe4 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/inbox.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/inbox.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ impl BranchMarker {
 }
 
 /// The header added by the synchronization algorithm to all.
-#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
 pub(crate) struct SyncHeader {
     pub sending_component_id: ConnectorId,
     pub highest_component_id: ConnectorId,
@@ -164,6 +164,32 @@ impl Message {
             Message::Control(_) => return None,
         }
     }
+
+    /// If the message is sent through a particular channel, then this function
+    /// returns the target port through which the message was sent.
+    pub(crate) fn target_port(&self) -> Option<PortIdLocal> {
+        match self {
+            Message::Data(message) => return Some(message.data_header.target_port),
+            Message::SyncPort(message) => return Some(message.target_port),
+            Message::SyncComp(_) => return None,
+            Message::SyncControl(_) => return None,
+            Message::Control(message) => {
+                match &message.content {
+                    ControlContent::PortPeerChanged(port_id, _) => return Some(*port_id),
+                    ControlContent::CloseChannel(port_id) => return Some(*port_id),
+                    ControlContent::Ping => return None,
+                    ControlContent::Ack => return None,
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn as_data(&self) -> &DataMessage {
+        match self {
+            Message::Data(v) => v,
+            _ => unreachable!(),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// The public inbox of a connector. The thread running the connector that owns