diff --git a/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message.rs b/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message.rs
index e690d9d9..eb962505 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message.rs
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ pub use image::ImageMessageEventContent;
 pub use key_verification_request::KeyVerificationRequestEventContent;
 pub use location::{LocationInfo, LocationMessageEventContent};
 pub use notice::NoticeMessageEventContent;
+pub use relation_serde::deserialize_relation;
 #[cfg(feature = "unstable-sanitize")]
 use sanitize::{
     remove_plain_reply_fallback, sanitize_html, HtmlSanitizerMode, RemoveReplyFallback,
diff --git a/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message/relation_serde.rs b/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message/relation_serde.rs
index 280001de..5652e51c 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message/relation_serde.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-common/src/events/room/message/relation_serde.rs
@@ -3,9 +3,24 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
 use super::{InReplyTo, Relation, Replacement, Thread};
 use crate::OwnedEventId;
 
-pub(crate) fn deserialize_relation<'de, D, C>(
-    deserializer: D,
-) -> Result<Option<Relation<C>>, D::Error>
+/// Deserialize an event's `relates_to` field.
+///
+/// Use it like this:
+/// ```
+/// # use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+/// use ruma_common::events::room::message::{deserialize_relation, MessageType, Relation};
+///
+/// #[derive(Deserialize, Serialize)]
+/// struct MyEventContent {
+///     #[serde(
+///         flatten,
+///         skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none",
+///         deserialize_with = "deserialize_relation"
+///     )]
+///     relates_to: Option<Relation<MessageType>>,
+/// }
+/// ```
+pub fn deserialize_relation<'de, D, C>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Option<Relation<C>>, D::Error>
 where
     D: Deserializer<'de>,
     C: Deserialize<'de>,