diff --git a/lib/socket.c b/lib/socket.c
index e1c9a707c..54e8fc7a9 100644
--- a/lib/socket.c
+++ b/lib/socket.c
@@ -725,6 +725,20 @@ fail:
 	return -1;
 }
 
+int open_v46_socket(socket_t *r, int type) {
+	sockfamily_t *fam = &__socket_families[SF_IP6];
+
+	if (__socket(r, type, fam)) {
+		__C_DBG("open socket fail, fd=%d", r->fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	nonblock(r->fd);
+	ipv6only(r->fd, 0);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void dummy_socket(socket_t *r, const sockaddr_t *sa) {
 	ZERO(*r);
 	r->fd = -1;
diff --git a/lib/socket.h b/lib/socket.h
index 2548179fe..4ea315eaa 100644
--- a/lib/socket.h
+++ b/lib/socket.h
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ INLINE int socket_cpu_affinity(socket_t *s, int cpu) {
 void socket_init(void);
 
 int open_socket(socket_t *r, int type, unsigned int port, const sockaddr_t *);
+int open_v46_socket(socket_t *r, int type);
 int connect_socket(socket_t *r, int type, const endpoint_t *ep);
 int connect_socket_nb(socket_t *r, int type, const endpoint_t *ep); // 1 == in progress
 int connect_socket_retry(socket_t *r); // retries connect() while in progress