diff --git a/docs/src/fs.rst b/docs/src/fs.rst
index 234713ec..3f766e39 100644
--- a/docs/src/fs.rst
+++ b/docs/src/fs.rst
@@ -324,3 +324,15 @@ API
         These functions are not implemented on Windows.
 
 .. seealso:: The :c:type:`uv_req_t` API functions also apply.
+
+Helper functions
+----------------
+
+.. c:function:: uv_os_fd_t uv_get_osfhandle(int fd)
+
+   For a file descriptor in the C runtime, get the OS-dependent handle.
+   On UNIX, returns the ``fd`` intact. On Windows, this calls `_get_osfhandle <https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ks2530z6.aspx>`_.
+   Note that the return value is still owned by the C runtime,
+   any attempts to close it or to use it after closing the fd may lead to malfunction.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.12.0
diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index 40f5a4bd..f076094c 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -1034,6 +1034,7 @@ UV_EXTERN int uv_get_process_title(char* buffer, size_t size);
 UV_EXTERN int uv_set_process_title(const char* title);
 UV_EXTERN int uv_resident_set_memory(size_t* rss);
 UV_EXTERN int uv_uptime(double* uptime);
+UV_EXTERN uv_os_fd_t uv_get_osfhandle(int fd);
 
 typedef struct {
   long tv_sec;
diff --git a/src/unix/core.c b/src/unix/core.c
index 30cdaef7..8276c604 100644
--- a/src/unix/core.c
+++ b/src/unix/core.c
@@ -1324,3 +1324,8 @@ int uv_os_gethostname(char* buffer, size_t* size) {
   *size = len;
   return 0;
 }
+
+
+uv_os_fd_t uv_get_osfhandle(int fd) {
+  return fd;
+}
diff --git a/src/win/handle.c b/src/win/handle.c
index 72b49d97..39150702 100644
--- a/src/win/handle.c
+++ b/src/win/handle.c
@@ -152,3 +152,8 @@ void uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb cb) {
 int uv_is_closing(const uv_handle_t* handle) {
   return !!(handle->flags & (UV__HANDLE_CLOSING | UV_HANDLE_CLOSED));
 }
+
+
+uv_os_fd_t uv_get_osfhandle(int fd) {
+  return uv__get_osfhandle(fd);
+}
diff --git a/test/test-fs.c b/test/test-fs.c
index ce39ebd4..c482ab5c 100644
--- a/test/test-fs.c
+++ b/test/test-fs.c
@@ -2765,3 +2765,42 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_read_write_null_arguments) {
 
   return 0;
 }
+
+
+TEST_IMPL(get_osfhandle_valid_handle) {
+  int r;
+  uv_os_fd_t fd;
+
+  /* Setup. */
+  unlink("test_file");
+
+  loop = uv_default_loop();
+
+  r = uv_fs_open(NULL,
+                 &open_req1,
+                 "test_file",
+                 O_RDWR | O_CREAT,
+                 S_IWUSR | S_IRUSR,
+                 NULL);
+  ASSERT(r >= 0);
+  ASSERT(open_req1.result >= 0);
+  uv_fs_req_cleanup(&open_req1);
+
+  fd = uv_get_osfhandle(open_req1.result);
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  ASSERT(fd != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE);
+#else
+  ASSERT(fd >= 0);
+#endif
+
+  r = uv_fs_close(NULL, &close_req, open_req1.result, NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  ASSERT(close_req.result == 0);
+  uv_fs_req_cleanup(&close_req);
+
+  /* Cleanup. */
+  unlink("test_file");
+
+  MAKE_VALGRIND_HAPPY();
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/test/test-list.h b/test/test-list.h
index 76cb71e1..3571aa23 100644
--- a/test/test-list.h
+++ b/test/test-list.h
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ TEST_DECLARE   (fs_open_dir)
 TEST_DECLARE   (fs_rename_to_existing_file)
 TEST_DECLARE   (fs_write_multiple_bufs)
 TEST_DECLARE   (fs_read_write_null_arguments)
+TEST_DECLARE   (get_osfhandle_valid_handle)
 TEST_DECLARE   (fs_write_alotof_bufs)
 TEST_DECLARE   (fs_write_alotof_bufs_with_offset)
 TEST_DECLARE   (threadpool_queue_work_simple)
@@ -792,6 +793,7 @@ TASK_LIST_START
   TEST_ENTRY  (fs_write_alotof_bufs)
   TEST_ENTRY  (fs_write_alotof_bufs_with_offset)
   TEST_ENTRY  (fs_read_write_null_arguments)
+  TEST_ENTRY  (get_osfhandle_valid_handle)
   TEST_ENTRY  (threadpool_queue_work_simple)
   TEST_ENTRY  (threadpool_queue_work_einval)
 #if defined(__PPC__) || defined(__PPC64__)  /* For linux PPC and AIX */