diff --git a/TODO-RELEASE b/TODO-RELEASE
index 2f9903d09..b67161dd6 100644
--- a/TODO-RELEASE
+++ b/TODO-RELEASE
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@
 # If any interfaces have been added since the last public release: c:r:a + 1.
 # If any interfaces have been removed or changed since the last public release: c:r:0.
 #library	what			description / commit summary line
-core      ADD       osmo_sock_multiaddr_{add,del}_local_addr()
\ No newline at end of file
+core      ADD       osmo_sock_multiaddr_{add,del}_local_addr()
+core      ADD       gsmtap_inst_fd2() core, DEPRECATE gsmtap_inst_fd()
diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/gsmtap_util.h b/include/osmocom/core/gsmtap_util.h
index 9137c1d25..d24ee95f7 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/core/gsmtap_util.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/gsmtap_util.h
@@ -24,19 +24,12 @@ struct msgb *gsmtap_makemsg(uint16_t arfcn, uint8_t ts, uint8_t chan_type,
 			    int8_t snr, const uint8_t *data, unsigned int len);
 
 /*! one gsmtap instance */
-struct gsmtap_inst {
-	int ofd_wq_mode;	/*!< wait queue mode? */
-	struct osmo_wqueue wq;	/*!< the wait queue */
-	struct osmo_fd sink_ofd;/*!< file descriptor */
-};
+struct gsmtap_inst;
 
-/*! obtain the file descriptor associated with a gsmtap instance
- *  \param[in] gti GSMTAP instance
- *  \returns file descriptor of GSMTAP instance */
-static inline int gsmtap_inst_fd(struct gsmtap_inst *gti)
-{
-	return gti->wq.bfd.fd;
-}
+int gsmtap_inst_fd(struct gsmtap_inst *gti)
+	OSMO_DEPRECATED("Use gsmtap_inst_fd2() instead");
+
+int gsmtap_inst_fd2(const struct gsmtap_inst *gti);
 
 int gsmtap_source_init_fd(const char *host, uint16_t port);
 int gsmtap_source_init_fd2(const char *local_host, uint16_t local_port, const char *rem_host, uint16_t rem_port);
diff --git a/src/core/gsmtap_util.c b/src/core/gsmtap_util.c
index 20c0ce1ae..dcbd30491 100644
--- a/src/core/gsmtap_util.c
+++ b/src/core/gsmtap_util.c
@@ -46,6 +46,28 @@
  *
  * \file gsmtap_util.c */
 
+/*! one gsmtap instance */
+struct gsmtap_inst {
+	int ofd_wq_mode;	/*!< wait queue mode? This field member may not be changed or moved (backwards compatibility) */
+	struct osmo_wqueue wq;	/*!< the wait queue. This field member may not be changed or moved (backwards compatibility) */
+	struct osmo_fd sink_ofd; /*!< file descriptor */
+};
+
+/*! Deprecated, use gsmtap_inst_fd2() instead
+ *  \param[in] gti GSMTAP instance
+ *  \returns file descriptor of GSMTAP instance */
+int gsmtap_inst_fd(struct gsmtap_inst *gti)
+{
+	return gsmtap_inst_fd2(gti);
+}
+
+/*! obtain the file descriptor associated with a gsmtap instance
+ *  \param[in] gti GSMTAP instance
+ *  \returns file descriptor of GSMTAP instance */
+int gsmtap_inst_fd2(const struct gsmtap_inst *gti)
+{
+	return gti->wq.bfd.fd;
+}
 
 /*! convert RSL channel number to GSMTAP channel type
  *  \param[in] rsl_chantype RSL channel type
@@ -330,7 +352,7 @@ int gsmtap_sendmsg(struct gsmtap_inst *gti, struct msgb *msg)
 		/* try immediate send and return error if any */
 		int rc;
 
-		rc = write(gsmtap_inst_fd(gti), msg->data, msg->len);
+		rc = write(gsmtap_inst_fd2(gti), msg->data, msg->len);
 		if (rc < 0) {
 			return rc;
 		} else if (rc >= msg->len) {
@@ -447,7 +469,7 @@ int gsmtap_source_add_sink(struct gsmtap_inst *gti)
 {
 	int fd, rc;
 
-	fd = gsmtap_source_add_sink_fd(gsmtap_inst_fd(gti));
+	fd = gsmtap_source_add_sink_fd(gsmtap_inst_fd2(gti));
 	if (fd < 0)
 		return fd;
 
diff --git a/src/core/libosmocore.map b/src/core/libosmocore.map
index 6c02cd30c..e5f8bd8c2 100644
--- a/src/core/libosmocore.map
+++ b/src/core/libosmocore.map
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ get_string_value;
 get_value_string;
 get_value_string_or_null;
 gsmtap_gsm_channel_names;
+gsmtap_inst_fd;
+gsmtap_inst_fd2;
 gsmtap_makemsg;
 gsmtap_makemsg_ex;
 gsmtap_send;