diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h
index 423f00942..2792f002c 100644
--- a/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ uint32_t bsc_mgcp_extract_ci(const char *resp);
 
 int bsc_write(struct bsc_connection *bsc, struct msgb *msg, int id);
 int bsc_do_write(struct write_queue *queue, struct msgb *msg, int id);
+int bsc_write_msg(struct write_queue *queue, struct msgb *msg);
 int bsc_write_cb(struct bsc_fd *bfd, struct msgb *msg);
 
 /* IMSI allow/deny handling */
diff --git a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat_utils.c b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat_utils.c
index a458afdaa..b295f3512 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat_utils.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat_utils.c
@@ -273,7 +273,11 @@ int bsc_do_write(struct write_queue *queue, struct msgb *msg, int proto)
 {
 	/* prepend the header */
 	ipaccess_prepend_header(msg, proto);
+	return bsc_write_msg(queue, msg);
+}
 
+int bsc_write_msg(struct write_queue *queue, struct msgb *msg)
+{
 	if (write_queue_enqueue(queue, msg) != 0) {
 		LOGP(DINP, LOGL_ERROR, "Failed to enqueue the write.\n");
 		msgb_free(msg);