--- a/net/minecraft/world/entity/EntityReference.java
+++ b/net/minecraft/world/entity/EntityReference.java
@@ -150,4 +_,15 @@
     public int hashCode() {
         return this.getUUID().hashCode();
     }
+
+    // Paper start - utility for reading an entity from a nullable entity reference via a UUIDLookup
+    @Nullable
+    public static <StoredEntityType extends UniquelyIdentifyable> StoredEntityType getEntity(
+        final @Nullable EntityReference<StoredEntityType> ref,
+        final UUIDLookup<? extends UniquelyIdentifyable> uuidLookup,
+        final Class<StoredEntityType> entityClass
+    ) {
+        return ref == null ? null : ref.getEntity(uuidLookup, entityClass);
+    }
+    // Paper end - utility for reading an entity from a nullable entity reference via a UUIDLookup
 }
