diff --git a/filedescriptor/src/lib.rs b/filedescriptor/src/lib.rs
index 1fe09f1eb..50dcab9ab 100644
--- a/filedescriptor/src/lib.rs
+++ b/filedescriptor/src/lib.rs
@@ -109,6 +109,14 @@ impl FileDescriptor {
     pub fn try_clone(&self) -> Fallible<Self> {
         self.handle.try_clone().map(|handle| Self { handle })
     }
+
+    /// A convenience method for creating a `std::process::Stdio` object
+    /// to be used for eg: redirecting the stdio streams of a child
+    /// process.  The `Stdio` is created using a duplicated handle so
+    /// that the source handle remains alive.
+    pub fn as_stdio(&self) -> Fallible<std::process::Stdio> {
+        self.as_stdio_impl()
+    }
 }
 
 pub struct Pipes {
diff --git a/filedescriptor/src/unix.rs b/filedescriptor/src/unix.rs
index ca1c6ba9a..00dd4f87d 100644
--- a/filedescriptor/src/unix.rs
+++ b/filedescriptor/src/unix.rs
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ impl FileDescriptor {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn as_stdio(&self) -> Fallible<std::process::Stdio> {
+    #[inline]
+    pub(crate) fn as_stdio_impl(&self) -> Fallible<std::process::Stdio> {
         let duped = OwnedHandle::dup(self)?;
         let fd = duped.into_raw_fd();
         let stdio = unsafe { std::process::Stdio::from_raw_fd(fd) };
diff --git a/filedescriptor/src/windows.rs b/filedescriptor/src/windows.rs
index 3b6fd586b..be6d857fc 100644
--- a/filedescriptor/src/windows.rs
+++ b/filedescriptor/src/windows.rs
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ impl IntoRawHandle for OwnedHandle {
 }
 
 impl FileDescriptor {
-    pub fn as_stdio(&self) -> Fallible<std::process::Stdio> {
+    #[inline]
+    pub(crate) fn as_stdio_impl(&self) -> Fallible<std::process::Stdio> {
         let duped = self.handle.try_clone()?;
         let handle = duped.into_raw_handle();
         let stdio = unsafe { std::process::Stdio::from_raw_handle(handle) };