diff --git a/includes/update.inc b/includes/update.inc
index cbee34e..e219116 100644
--- a/includes/update.inc
+++ b/includes/update.inc
@@ -121,6 +121,35 @@ function update_fix_d8_requirements() {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Helper function to install a new module in Drupal 8 via hook_update_N().
+ */
+function update_module_enable(array $modules) {
+  foreach ($modules as $module) {
+    // Check for initial schema and install it. The schema version of a newly
+    // installed module is always 0. Using 8000 here would be inconsistent
+    // since $module_update_8000() may involve a schema change, and we want
+    // to install the schema as it was before any updates were added.
+    $function = $module . '_schema_0';
+    if (function_exists($function)) {
+      $schema = $function();
+      foreach ($schema as $table => $spec) {
+        db_create_table($table, $spec);
+      }
+    }
+    // Change the schema version from SCHEMA_UNINSTALLED to 0, so any module
+    // updates since the module's inception are executed in a core upgrade.
+    db_update('system')
+      ->condition('type', 'module')
+      ->condition('name', $module)
+      ->fields(array('schema_version' => 0))
+      ->execute();
+
+    system_list_reset();
+    //  @todo: figure out what to do about hook_install() and hook_enable().
+  }
+}
+
+/**
  * Perform one update and store the results for display on finished page.
  *
  * If an update function completes successfully, it should return a message