diff --git a/src/git/index.h b/src/git/index.h
index ee410865d..bdfb7e192 100644
--- a/src/git/index.h
+++ b/src/git/index.h
@@ -108,14 +108,32 @@ GIT_EXTERN(int) git_index_write(git_index *index);
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_index_find(git_index *index, const char *path);
 
 /**
- * Add a new empty entry to the index.
+ * Add a new empty entry to the index with a given path.
  *
  * @param index an existing index object
  * @param path filename pointed to by the entry
  * @param stage stage for the entry
  * @return 0 on success, otherwise an error code
  */
-GIT_EXTERN(int) git_index_add(git_index *index, const char *path, int stage);
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_index_add_bypath(git_index *index, const char *path, int stage);
+
+/**
+ * Remove an entry from the index 
+ *
+ * @param index an existing index object
+ * @param position position of the entry to remove
+ * @return 0 on success, otherwise an error code
+ */
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_index_remove(git_index *index, int position);
+
+/**
+ * Add a new entry to the index 
+ *
+ * @param index an existing index object
+ * @param source_entry new entry object
+ * @return 0 on success, otherwise an error code
+ */
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_index_add(git_index *index, const git_index_entry *source_entry);
 
 /**
  * Get a pointer to one of the entries in the index
diff --git a/src/index.c b/src/index.c
index 71481cc2d..77de0a8e2 100644
--- a/src/index.c
+++ b/src/index.c
@@ -223,10 +223,11 @@ int git_index_write(git_index *index)
 
 git_index_entry *git_index_get(git_index *index, int n)
 {
+	assert(index);
 	return (n >= 0 && (unsigned int)n < index->entry_count) ? &index->entries[n] : NULL;
 }
 
-int git_index_add(git_index *index, const char *filename, int stage)
+int git_index_add_bypath(git_index *index, const char *filename, int stage)
 {
 	git_index_entry entry;
 	size_t path_length;
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ int git_index_add(git_index *index, const char *filename, int stage)
 
 	entry.path = git__strdup(filename);
 
-	return git_index__append(index, &entry);
+	return git_index_add(index, &entry);
 }
 
 void git_index__sort(git_index *index)
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ void git_index__sort(git_index *index)
 	index->sorted = 1;
 }
 
-int git_index__append(git_index *index, const git_index_entry *source_entry)
+int git_index_add(git_index *index, const git_index_entry *source_entry)
 {
 	git_index_entry *offset;
 
@@ -303,18 +304,23 @@ int git_index__append(git_index *index, const git_index_entry *source_entry)
 	return GIT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-int git_index__remove_pos(git_index *index, unsigned int position)
+int git_index_remove(git_index *index, int position)
 {
 	git_index_entry *offset;
 	size_t copy_size;
 
+	assert(index);
+
+	if (position < 0 || (unsigned int)position > index->entry_count)
+		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+
 	offset = &index->entries[position];
 	index->entry_count--;
 	copy_size = (index->entry_count - position) * sizeof(git_index_entry);
 
 	memcpy(offset, offset + sizeof(git_index_entry), copy_size);
 
-	return 0;
+	return GIT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
 int git_index_find(git_index *index, const char *path)