diff --git a/common/stdio.c b/common/stdio.c
index 61fc087368..d4acc5256c 100644
--- a/common/stdio.c
+++ b/common/stdio.c
@@ -28,6 +28,19 @@ static struct stdio_dev devs;
 struct stdio_dev *stdio_devices[] = { NULL, NULL, NULL };
 char *stdio_names[MAX_FILES] = { "stdin", "stdout", "stderr" };
 
+int stdio_file_to_flags(const int file)
+{
+	switch (file) {
+	case stdin:
+		return DEV_FLAGS_INPUT;
+	case stdout:
+	case stderr:
+		return DEV_FLAGS_OUTPUT;
+	default:
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+}
+
 #if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(SYS_DEVICE_NULLDEV)
 static void nulldev_putc(struct stdio_dev *dev, const char c)
 {
diff --git a/include/stdio_dev.h b/include/stdio_dev.h
index 109a68d064..8fb9a12dd8 100644
--- a/include/stdio_dev.h
+++ b/include/stdio_dev.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #define DEV_FLAGS_OUTPUT 0x00000002	/* Device can be used as output console */
 #define DEV_FLAGS_DM     0x00000004	/* Device priv is a struct udevice * */
 
+int stdio_file_to_flags(const int file);
+
 /* Device information */
 struct stdio_dev {
 	int	flags;			/* Device flags: input/output/system	*/