diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/EditDistance.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/EditDistance.java
index 0eecdcc4d0c7d9d719e03eb95a04d9680115a2a3..0b1de0a387388eb45a86701f749460a847ad6e21 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/EditDistance.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/EditDistance.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
  */
 package hudson.util;
 
+import java.util.Collection;
+
 /**
  * Computes the string edit distance.
  *
@@ -61,6 +63,10 @@ public class EditDistance {
         return r;
     }
 
+    public static String findNearest( String key, Collection<String> group ) {
+        return findNearest(key,group.toArray(new String[group.size()]));
+    }
+
     /** cost vector. */
     private int[] cost;
     /** back buffer. */