diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/ApplicativeError.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/ApplicativeError.scala
index 4f36625205..61ab4b6604 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/ApplicativeError.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/ApplicativeError.scala
@@ -104,6 +104,24 @@ trait ApplicativeError[F[_], E] extends Applicative[F] {
       case Success(a) => pure(a)
       case Failure(e) => raiseError(e)
     }
+
+  /**
+   * Convert from scala.Either
+   *
+   * Example:
+   * {{{
+   * scala> import cats.ApplicativeError
+   * scala> import cats.instances.option._
+   *
+   * scala> ApplicativeError[Option, Unit].fromEither(Right(1))
+   * res0: scala.Option[Int] = Some(1)
+   *
+   * scala> ApplicativeError[Option, Unit].fromEither(Left(()))
+   * res1: scala.Option[Nothing] = None
+   * }}}
+   */
+  def fromEither[A](x: E Either A): F[A] =
+    x.fold(raiseError, pure)
 }
 
 object ApplicativeError {
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/MonadState.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/MonadState.scala
index 4539971d5f..abc45d4488 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/MonadState.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/MonadState.scala
@@ -17,6 +17,27 @@ package cats
  * }}}
  */
 trait MonadState[F[_], S] extends Monad[F] {
+
+  /**
+   * Embed a state action into the monad.
+   *
+   * Example:
+   * {{{
+   * scala> import cats.MonadState
+   * scala> import cats.data.StateT
+   * scala> import cats.instances.list._
+   *
+   * scala> val M = MonadState[StateT[List, Int, ?], Int]
+   * scala> import M._
+   *
+   * scala> val st: StateT[List, Int, Int] = state(s => (s + 1, s * 100))
+   * scala> st.run(1)
+   * res0: List[(Int, Int)] = List((2,100))
+   * }}}
+   */
+  def state[A](f: S => (S, A)): F[A] =
+    flatMap(get)(s => f(s) match { case (s, a) => map(set(s))(_ => a) })
+
   def get: F[S]
 
   def set(s: S): F[Unit]