diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index dd54214023..9547fc463b 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -1912,6 +1912,8 @@ UV_EXTERN int uv_fs_chown(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_fs_t* req, const char* path,
 UV_EXTERN int uv_fs_fchown(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_fs_t* req, uv_file file,
     uv_uid_t uid, uv_gid_t gid, uv_fs_cb cb);
 
+/* this method is only useful for binding libraries (just return req->result) */
+UV_EXTERN int uv_fs_req_result(uv_fs_t* req);
 
 enum uv_fs_event {
   UV_RENAME = 1,
diff --git a/src/uv-common.c b/src/uv-common.c
index e6e87377b8..3c52e8a131 100644
--- a/src/uv-common.c
+++ b/src/uv-common.c
@@ -460,3 +460,7 @@ int uv_fs_event_getpath(uv_fs_event_t* handle, char* buf, size_t* len) {
 
   return 0;
 }
+
+int uv_fs_req_result(uv_fs_t* req) {
+  return req->result;
+}