diff --git a/convert.go b/convert.go
index 65f1444..8aa42fa 100644
--- a/convert.go
+++ b/convert.go
@@ -98,6 +98,25 @@ func FromIP(ip net.IP) (ma.Multiaddr, error) {
 	return FromIPAndZone(ip, "")
 }
 
+// ToIP converts a Multiaddr to a net.IP when possible
+func ToIP(addr ma.Multiaddr) (net.IP, error) {
+	n, err := ToNetAddr(addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	switch netAddr := n.(type) {
+	case *net.UDPAddr:
+		return netAddr.IP, nil
+	case *net.TCPAddr:
+		return netAddr.IP, nil
+	case *net.IPAddr:
+		return netAddr.IP, nil
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("non IP Multiaddr: %T", netAddr)
+	}
+}
+
 // DialArgs is a convenience function that returns network and address as
 // expected by net.Dial. See https://godoc.org/net#Dial for an overview of
 // possible return values (we do not support the unixpacket ones yet). Unix
diff --git a/convert_test.go b/convert_test.go
index 33e3332..1701824 100644
--- a/convert_test.go
+++ b/convert_test.go
@@ -51,11 +51,20 @@ func testToNetAddr(t *testing.T, maddr, ntwk, addr string) {
 	// should convert properly
 	switch ntwk {
 	case "tcp":
-		_ = naddr.(*net.TCPAddr)
+		taddr := naddr.(*net.TCPAddr)
+		if ip, err := ToIP(m); err != nil || !taddr.IP.Equal(ip) {
+			t.Fatalf("ToIP() and ToNetAddr diverged: %s != %s", taddr, ip)
+		}
 	case "udp":
-		_ = naddr.(*net.UDPAddr)
+		uaddr := naddr.(*net.UDPAddr)
+		if ip, err := ToIP(m); err != nil || !uaddr.IP.Equal(ip) {
+			t.Fatalf("ToIP() and ToNetAddr diverged: %s != %s", uaddr, ip)
+		}
 	case "ip":
-		_ = naddr.(*net.IPAddr)
+		ipaddr := naddr.(*net.IPAddr)
+		if ip, err := ToIP(m); err != nil || !ipaddr.IP.Equal(ip) {
+			t.Fatalf("ToIP() and ToNetAddr diverged: %s != %s", ipaddr, ip)
+		}
 	}
 }