diff --git a/headers/private/storage/kernel_interface.h b/headers/private/storage/kernel_interface.h
index 143db1d640..f24d02a264 100644
--- a/headers/private/storage/kernel_interface.h
+++ b/headers/private/storage/kernel_interface.h
@@ -321,7 +321,10 @@ status_t get_canonical_dir_path(const char *path, char *&result);
 status_t get_app_path(char *buffer);
 
 /*! Returns true if the given entry_ref represents the root directory, false otherwise. */
-bool entry_ref_is_root_dir(entry_ref &ref);
+bool entry_ref_is_root_dir(const entry_ref *ref);
+
+//! Returns true if the given device is the root device, false otherwise
+bool device_is_root_device(dev_t device);
 
 /*! Renames oldPath to newPath, replacing newPath if it exists. */
 status_t rename(const char *oldPath, const char *newPath);
diff --git a/src/kits/storage/kernel_interface.POSIX.cpp b/src/kits/storage/kernel_interface.POSIX.cpp
index 807ccf1be9..74f399c397 100644
--- a/src/kits/storage/kernel_interface.POSIX.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/storage/kernel_interface.POSIX.cpp
@@ -1126,10 +1126,15 @@ BPrivate::Storage::get_app_path(char *buffer)
 }
 
 bool
-BPrivate::Storage::entry_ref_is_root_dir( entry_ref &ref )
+BPrivate::Storage::entry_ref_is_root_dir( const entry_ref *ref )
 {
-	return ref.directory == 1 && ref.device == 1 && ref.name[0] == '.'
-		   && ref.name[1] == 0;
+	return ref && ref->directory == 1 && ref->device == 1 && ref->name[0] == '.'
+		   && ref->name[1] == 0;
+}
+
+bool
+BPrivate::Storage::device_is_root_device(dev_t device) {
+	return device == 1;
 }
 
 status_t