diff --git a/include/haproxy/fd.h b/include/haproxy/fd.h
index 8925efb66..2a5bcad28 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/fd.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/fd.h
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ ssize_t fd_write_frag_line(int fd, size_t maxlen, const struct ist pfx[], size_t
 /* close all FDs starting from <start> */
 void my_closefrom(int start);
 
+struct rlimit;
+int raise_rlim_nofile(struct rlimit *old_limit, struct rlimit *new_limit);
+
 int compute_poll_timeout(int next);
 void fd_leaving_poll(int wait_time, int status);
 
diff --git a/src/fd.c b/src/fd.c
index eb386a830..f4f1bae81 100644
--- a/src/fd.c
+++ b/src/fd.c
@@ -885,6 +885,33 @@ void my_closefrom(int start)
 }
 #endif // defined(USE_POLL)
 
+/* Sets the RLIMIT_NOFILE setting to <new_limit> and returns the previous one
+ * in <old_limit> if the pointer is not NULL, even if set_rlimit() fails. The
+ * two pointers may point to the same variable as the copy happens after
+ * setting the new value. The value is only changed if at least one of the new
+ * limits is strictly higher than the current one, otherwise returns 0 without
+ * changing anything. The getrlimit() or setrlimit() syscall return value is
+ * returned and errno is preserved.
+ */
+int raise_rlim_nofile(struct rlimit *old_limit, struct rlimit *new_limit)
+{
+	struct rlimit limit = { };
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	ret = getrlimit(RLIMIT_NOFILE, &limit);
+
+	if (ret == 0 &&
+	    (limit.rlim_max < new_limit->rlim_max ||
+	     limit.rlim_cur < new_limit->rlim_cur)) {
+		ret = setrlimit(RLIMIT_NOFILE, new_limit);
+	}
+
+	if (old_limit)
+		*old_limit = limit;
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 /* Computes the bounded poll() timeout based on the next expiration timer <next>
  * by bounding it to MAX_DELAY_MS. <next> may equal TICK_ETERNITY. The pollers
  * just needs to call this function right before polling to get their timeout