diff --git a/src/shared/loop-util.c b/src/shared/loop-util.c
index 530688fc97..a5ad914577 100644
--- a/src/shared/loop-util.c
+++ b/src/shared/loop-util.c
@@ -768,6 +768,11 @@ void loop_device_relinquish(LoopDevice *d) {
         d->relinquished = true;
 }
 
+void loop_device_unrelinquish(LoopDevice *d) {
+        assert(d);
+        d->relinquished = false;
+}
+
 int loop_device_open(const char *loop_path, int open_flags, LoopDevice **ret) {
         _cleanup_close_ int loop_fd = -1;
         _cleanup_free_ char *p = NULL;
diff --git a/src/shared/loop-util.h b/src/shared/loop-util.h
index 964ce3ed08..a33d7e3e59 100644
--- a/src/shared/loop-util.h
+++ b/src/shared/loop-util.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ LoopDevice* loop_device_unref(LoopDevice *d);
 DEFINE_TRIVIAL_CLEANUP_FUNC(LoopDevice*, loop_device_unref);
 
 void loop_device_relinquish(LoopDevice *d);
+void loop_device_unrelinquish(LoopDevice *d);
 
 int loop_device_refresh_size(LoopDevice *d, uint64_t offset, uint64_t size);