diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
index 9869b4066d..e1502dcde0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
@@ -60,6 +60,16 @@
 
 #define VIR_FROM_THIS VIR_FROM_QEMU
 
+void qemuDriverLock(struct qemud_driver *driver)
+{
+    virMutexLock(&driver->lock);
+}
+void qemuDriverUnlock(struct qemud_driver *driver)
+{
+    virMutexUnlock(&driver->lock);
+}
+
+
 int qemudLoadDriverConfig(struct qemud_driver *driver,
                           const char *filename) {
     virConfPtr conf;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h
index 4c61891bc3..83ddedda9b 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ struct _qemuDomainCmdlineDef {
                          __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, __VA_ARGS__)
 
 
+void qemuDriverLock(struct qemud_driver *driver);
+void qemuDriverUnlock(struct qemud_driver *driver);
 int qemudLoadDriverConfig(struct qemud_driver *driver,
                           const char *filename);
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 5d8aef3fcc..9f2e536750 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -109,15 +109,6 @@ static void processWatchdogEvent(void *data, void *opaque);
 
 static int qemudShutdown(void);
 
-static void qemuDriverLock(struct qemud_driver *driver)
-{
-    virMutexLock(&driver->lock);
-}
-static void qemuDriverUnlock(struct qemud_driver *driver)
-{
-    virMutexUnlock(&driver->lock);
-}
-
 static void qemuDomainEventFlush(int timer, void *opaque);
 static void qemuDomainEventQueue(struct qemud_driver *driver,
                                  virDomainEventPtr event);