diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index 2986998..af2ab4f 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -270,6 +270,15 @@
     }
 }
 
+void bdrv_get_full_backing_filename(BlockDriverState *bs, char *dest, size_t sz)
+{
+    if (bs->backing_file[0] == '\0' || path_has_protocol(bs->backing_file)) {
+        pstrcpy(dest, sz, bs->backing_file);
+    } else {
+        path_combine(dest, sz, bs->filename, bs->backing_file);
+    }
+}
+
 void bdrv_register(BlockDriver *bdrv)
 {
     /* Block drivers without coroutine functions need emulation */
@@ -796,14 +805,8 @@
         BlockDriver *back_drv = NULL;
 
         bs->backing_hd = bdrv_new("");
-
-        if (path_has_protocol(bs->backing_file)) {
-            pstrcpy(backing_filename, sizeof(backing_filename),
-                    bs->backing_file);
-        } else {
-            path_combine(backing_filename, sizeof(backing_filename),
-                         filename, bs->backing_file);
-        }
+        bdrv_get_full_backing_filename(bs, backing_filename,
+                                       sizeof(backing_filename));
 
         if (bs->backing_format[0] != '\0') {
             back_drv = bdrv_find_format(bs->backing_format);