diff --git a/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_qemu.go b/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_qemu.go
index 8dec12943..e1a6cd4ab 100644
--- a/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_qemu.go
+++ b/src/cmd/linuxkit/run_qemu.go
@@ -620,12 +620,6 @@ func discoverBackend(config QemuConfig) QemuConfig {
 
 type multipleFlag []string
 
-type publishedPorts struct {
-	guest    int
-	host     int
-	protocol string
-}
-
 func (f *multipleFlag) String() string {
 	return "A multiple flag is a type of flag that can be repeated any number of times"
 }
@@ -635,57 +629,13 @@ func (f *multipleFlag) Set(value string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func splitPublish(publish string) (publishedPorts, error) {
-	p := publishedPorts{}
-	slice := strings.Split(publish, ":")
-
-	if len(slice) < 2 {
-		return p, fmt.Errorf("Unable to parse the ports to be published, should be in format <host>:<guest> or <host>:<guest>/<tcp|udp>")
-	}
-
-	hostPort, err := strconv.Atoi(slice[0])
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return p, fmt.Errorf("The provided hostPort can't be converted to int")
-	}
-
-	right := strings.Split(slice[1], "/")
-
-	protocol := "tcp"
-	if len(right) == 2 {
-		protocol = strings.TrimSpace(strings.ToLower(right[1]))
-	}
-
-	if protocol != "tcp" && protocol != "udp" {
-		return p, fmt.Errorf("Provided protocol is not valid, valid options are: udp and tcp")
-	}
-	guestPort, err := strconv.Atoi(right[0])
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return p, fmt.Errorf("The provided guestPort can't be converted to int")
-	}
-
-	if hostPort < 1 || hostPort > 65535 {
-		return p, fmt.Errorf("Invalid hostPort: %d", hostPort)
-	}
-
-	if guestPort < 1 || guestPort > 65535 {
-		return p, fmt.Errorf("Invalid guestPort: %d", guestPort)
-	}
-
-	p.guest = guestPort
-	p.host = hostPort
-	p.protocol = protocol
-	return p, nil
-}
-
 func buildQemuForwardings(publishFlags multipleFlag, containerized bool) (string, error) {
 	if len(publishFlags) == 0 {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 	var forwardings string
 	for _, publish := range publishFlags {
-		p, err := splitPublish(publish)
+		p, err := NewPublishedPort(publish)
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", err
 		}
@@ -705,7 +655,7 @@ func buildQemuForwardings(publishFlags multipleFlag, containerized bool) (string
 func buildDockerForwardings(publishedPorts []string) ([]string, error) {
 	pmap := []string{}
 	for _, port := range publishedPorts {
-		s, err := splitPublish(port)
+		s, err := NewPublishedPort(port)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/linuxkit/util.go b/src/cmd/linuxkit/util.go
index 39d794cb1..1f02fa622 100644
--- a/src/cmd/linuxkit/util.go
+++ b/src/cmd/linuxkit/util.go
@@ -191,3 +191,55 @@ func (l *Disks) Set(value string) error {
 	*l = append(*l, d)
 	return nil
 }
+
+// PublishedPort is used by some backends to expose a VMs port on the host
+type PublishedPort struct {
+	guest    int
+	host     int
+	protocol string
+}
+
+// NewPublishedPort parses a string of the form <host>:<guest>[/<tcp|udp>] and returns a PublishedPort structure
+func NewPublishedPort(publish string) (PublishedPort, error) {
+	p := PublishedPort{}
+	slice := strings.Split(publish, ":")
+
+	if len(slice) < 2 {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("Unable to parse the ports to be published, should be in format <host>:<guest> or <host>:<guest>/<tcp|udp>")
+	}
+
+	hostPort, err := strconv.Atoi(slice[0])
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("The provided hostPort can't be converted to int")
+	}
+
+	right := strings.Split(slice[1], "/")
+
+	protocol := "tcp"
+	if len(right) == 2 {
+		protocol = strings.TrimSpace(strings.ToLower(right[1]))
+	}
+
+	if protocol != "tcp" && protocol != "udp" {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("Provided protocol is not valid, valid options are: udp and tcp")
+	}
+	guestPort, err := strconv.Atoi(right[0])
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("The provided guestPort can't be converted to int")
+	}
+
+	if hostPort < 1 || hostPort > 65535 {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("Invalid hostPort: %d", hostPort)
+	}
+
+	if guestPort < 1 || guestPort > 65535 {
+		return p, fmt.Errorf("Invalid guestPort: %d", guestPort)
+	}
+
+	p.guest = guestPort
+	p.host = hostPort
+	p.protocol = protocol
+	return p, nil
+}