diff --git a/tensorflow/c/tf_status.cc b/tensorflow/c/tf_status.cc
index 43c0d9e1fe4..3144f2c1900 100644
--- a/tensorflow/c/tf_status.cc
+++ b/tensorflow/c/tf_status.cc
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 #include "tensorflow/c/tf_status_internal.h"
 #include "tensorflow/core/lib/core/status.h"
+#include "tensorflow/core/platform/error.h"
 
+using ::tensorflow::IOError;
 using ::tensorflow::Status;
 using ::tensorflow::error::Code;
 
@@ -33,6 +35,12 @@ void TF_SetStatus(TF_Status* s, TF_Code code, const char* msg) {
   s->status = Status(static_cast<Code>(code), tensorflow::StringPiece(msg));
 }
 
+void TF_SetStatusFromIOError(TF_Status* s, int error_code,
+                             const char* context) {
+  // TODO(mihaimaruseac): Handle windows when changing its filesystem
+  s->status = IOError(context, error_code);
+}
+
 TF_Code TF_GetCode(const TF_Status* s) {
   return static_cast<TF_Code>(s->status.code());
 }
diff --git a/tensorflow/c/tf_status.h b/tensorflow/c/tf_status.h
index 937f6bed2d7..614f660eaf8 100644
--- a/tensorflow/c/tf_status.h
+++ b/tensorflow/c/tf_status.h
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ TF_CAPI_EXPORT extern void TF_DeleteStatus(TF_Status*);
 TF_CAPI_EXPORT extern void TF_SetStatus(TF_Status* s, TF_Code code,
                                         const char* msg);
 
+// Convert from an I/O error code (e.g., errno) to a TF_Status value.
+// Any previous information is lost. Prefer to use this instead of TF_SetStatus
+// when the error comes from I/O operations.
+TF_CAPI_EXPORT extern void TF_SetStatusFromIOError(TF_Status* s, int error_code,
+                                                   const char* context);
+
 // Return the code record in *s.
 TF_CAPI_EXPORT extern TF_Code TF_GetCode(const TF_Status* s);