diff --git a/fs/fs.c b/fs/fs.c
index 7c1f18e..8417067 100644
--- a/fs/fs.c
+++ b/fs/fs.c
@@ -605,6 +605,21 @@
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(protect);
 
+int protect_file(const char *file, int prot)
+{
+	int fd, ret;
+
+	fd = open(file, O_WRONLY);
+	if (fd < 0)
+		return fd;
+
+	ret = protect(fd, ~0, 0, prot);
+
+	close(fd);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 void *memmap(int fd, int flags)
 {
 	struct device_d *dev;
diff --git a/include/fs.h b/include/fs.h
index 552c4e9..4c03978 100644
--- a/include/fs.h
+++ b/include/fs.h
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@
 /* not-so-standard functions */
 int erase(int fd, size_t count, unsigned long offset);
 int protect(int fd, size_t count, unsigned long offset, int prot);
+int protect_file(const char *file, int prot);
 void *memmap(int fd, int flags);
 
 #define PROT_READ	1