diff --git a/metropolis/cli/metroctl/rpc.go b/metropolis/cli/metroctl/rpc.go
index 8e8ee48..6d7beab 100644
--- a/metropolis/cli/metroctl/rpc.go
+++ b/metropolis/cli/metroctl/rpc.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"crypto/x509"
 	"log"
 
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
@@ -25,3 +26,17 @@
 	}
 	return cc
 }
+
+func dialAuthenticatedNode(ctx context.Context, id, address string, cacert *x509.Certificate) *grpc.ClientConn {
+	// Collect credentials, validate command parameters, and try dialing the
+	// cluster.
+	ocert, opkey, err := core.GetOwnerCredentials(flags.configPath)
+	if err == core.NoCredentialsError {
+		log.Fatalf("You have to take ownership of the cluster first: %v", err)
+	}
+	cc, err := core.DialNode(ctx, opkey, ocert, cacert, flags.proxyAddr, id, address)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("While dialing node: %v", err)
+	}
+	return cc
+}