diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index 9f0324d3a..d669e7230 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ Template for new versions:
 ## New Tools
 
 ## New Features
+- `deathcause`: added functionality to this script to fetch cause of death programatically
 
 ## Fixes
 
diff --git a/deathcause.lua b/deathcause.lua
index 953f36bd2..6c212821a 100644
--- a/deathcause.lua
+++ b/deathcause.lua
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 -- show death cause of a creature
+--@ module = true
 
 local DEATH_TYPES = reqscript('gui/unit-info-viewer').DEATH_TYPES
 
 -- Gets the first corpse item at the given location
-function getItemAtPosition(pos)
+local function getItemAtPosition(pos)
     for _, item in ipairs(df.global.world.items.other.ANY_CORPSE) do
         if item.pos.x == pos.x and item.pos.y == pos.y and item.pos.z == pos.z then
             print("Automatically chose first corpse at the selected location.")
@@ -12,11 +13,11 @@ function getItemAtPosition(pos)
     end
 end
 
-function getRaceNameSingular(race_id)
+local function getRaceNameSingular(race_id)
     return df.creature_raw.find(race_id).name[0]
 end
 
-function getDeathStringFromCause(cause)
+local function getDeathStringFromCause(cause)
     if cause == -1 then
         return "died"
     else
@@ -24,13 +25,13 @@ function getDeathStringFromCause(cause)
     end
 end
 
-function displayDeathUnit(unit)
+-- Returns a cause of death given a unit
+function getDeathCauseFromUnit(unit)
     local str = unit.name.has_name and '' or 'The '
     str = str .. dfhack.units.getReadableName(unit)
 
     if not dfhack.units.isDead(unit) then
-        print(dfhack.df2console(str) .. " is not dead yet!")
-        return
+        return str .. " is not dead yet!"
     end
 
     str = str .. (" %s"):format(getDeathStringFromCause(unit.counters.death_cause))
@@ -50,12 +51,12 @@ function displayDeathUnit(unit)
         end
     end
 
-    print(dfhack.df2console(str) .. '.')
+    return str .. '.'
 end
 
 -- returns the item description if the item still exists; otherwise
 -- returns the weapon name
-function getWeaponName(item_id, subtype)
+local function getWeaponName(item_id, subtype)
     local item = df.item.find(item_id)
     if not item then
         return df.global.world.raws.itemdefs.weapons[subtype].name
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ function getWeaponName(item_id, subtype)
     return dfhack.items.getDescription(item, 0, false)
 end
 
-function displayDeathEventHistFigUnit(histfig_unit, event)
+local function getDeathEventHistFigUnit(histfig_unit, event)
     local str = ("The %s %s %s in year %d"):format(
             getRaceNameSingular(histfig_unit.race),
             dfhack.translation.translateName(dfhack.units.getVisibleName(histfig_unit)),
@@ -87,11 +88,11 @@ function displayDeathEventHistFigUnit(histfig_unit, event)
         end
     end
 
-    print(dfhack.df2console(str) .. '.')
+    return  str .. '.'
 end
 
 -- Returns the death event for the given histfig or nil if not found
-function getDeathEventForHistFig(histfig_id)
+local function getDeathEventForHistFig(histfig_id)
     for i = #df.global.world.history.events - 1, 0, -1 do
         local event = df.global.world.history.events[i]
         if event:getType() == df.history_event_type.HIST_FIGURE_DIED then
@@ -102,17 +103,18 @@ function getDeathEventForHistFig(histfig_id)
     end
 end
 
-function displayDeathHistFig(histfig)
+-- Returns the cause of death given a histfig
+function getDeathCauseFromHistFig(histfig)
     local histfig_unit = df.unit.find(histfig.unit_id)
     if not histfig_unit then
         qerror("Cause of death not available")
     end
 
     if not dfhack.units.isDead(histfig_unit) then
-        print(("%s is not dead yet!"):format(dfhack.df2console(dfhack.units.getReadableName(histfig_unit))))
+        return ("%s is not dead yet!"):format(dfhack.units.getReadableName(histfig_unit))
     else
         local death_event = getDeathEventForHistFig(histfig.id)
-        displayDeathEventHistFigUnit(histfig_unit, death_event)
+        return getDeathEventHistFigUnit(histfig_unit, death_event)
     end
 end
 
@@ -147,6 +149,10 @@ local function get_target()
     return selected_item.hist_figure_id, df.unit.find(selected_item.unit_id)
 end
 
+if dfhack_flags.module then
+    return
+end
+
 local hist_figure_id, selected_unit = get_target()
 
 if not hist_figure_id then
@@ -155,7 +161,7 @@ elseif hist_figure_id == -1 then
     if not selected_unit then
         qerror("Cause of death not available")
     end
-    displayDeathUnit(selected_unit)
+    print(dfhack.df2console(getDeathCauseFromUnit(selected_unit)))
 else
-    displayDeathHistFig(df.historical_figure.find(hist_figure_id))
+    print(dfhack.df2console(getDeathCauseFromHistFig(df.historical_figure.find(hist_figure_id))))
 end
diff --git a/docs/deathcause.rst b/docs/deathcause.rst
index c9a2ae0a0..20dddb11e 100644
--- a/docs/deathcause.rst
+++ b/docs/deathcause.rst
@@ -14,3 +14,29 @@ Usage
 ::
 
     deathcause
+
+API
+---
+
+The ``deathcause`` script can be called programmatically by other scripts, either via the
+commandline interface with ``dfhack.run_script()`` or via the API functions
+defined in :source-scripts:`deathcause.lua`, available from the return value of
+``reqscript('deathcause')``:
+
+* ``getDeathCauseFromHistFig(histfig)``
+
+Returns a string with the historical figure's cause of death, sometimes with more information
+than with a unit.
+
+* ``getDeathCauseFromUnit(unit)``
+
+Returns a string with the unit's cause of death.
+
+ API usage example::
+
+   local dc = reqscript('deathcause')
+
+   -- Note: this is an arguably bad example because this is the same as running deathcause
+   -- from the launcher, but this would theoretically still work.
+   local deathReason = dc.getDeathCauseFromUnit(dfhack.gui.getSelectedUnit())
+   print(deathReason)