diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
index e2592789ce..8f4678020f 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
@@ -242,3 +242,16 @@ int libxl__file_reference_unmap(libxl_file_reference *f)
 
 	return ERROR_FAIL;
 }
+
+int libxl__fd_set_cloexec(int fd)
+{
+    int flags = 0;
+
+    if ((flags = fcntl(fd, F_GETFD)) == -1) {
+        flags = 0;
+    }
+    if ((flags & FD_CLOEXEC)) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    return fcntl(fd, F_SETFD, flags | FD_CLOEXEC);
+}
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
index b431632103..1f78f9676a 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ _hidden int libxl__error_set(libxl__gc *gc, int code);
 
 _hidden int libxl__file_reference_map(libxl_file_reference *f);
 _hidden int libxl__file_reference_unmap(libxl_file_reference *f);
+_hidden int libxl__fd_set_cloexec(int fd);
 
 _hidden int libxl__e820_alloc(libxl_ctx *ctx, uint32_t domid, libxl_domain_config *d_config);