diff --git a/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.c b/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.c
index 55f2b0053d..e62b049793 100644
--- a/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.c
+++ b/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.c
@@ -919,6 +919,20 @@ gst_v4l2_object_open (GstV4l2Object * v4l2object)
   return TRUE;
 }
 
+gboolean
+gst_v4l2_object_open_shared (GstV4l2Object * v4l2object, GstV4l2Object * other)
+{
+  gboolean ret;
+
+  ret = gst_v4l2_dup (v4l2object, other);
+
+#ifdef HAVE_XVIDEO
+  gst_v4l2_video_overlay_start (v4l2object);
+#endif
+
+  return ret;
+}
+
 gboolean
 gst_v4l2_object_close (GstV4l2Object * v4l2object)
 {
diff --git a/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.h b/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.h
index 02b4309922..fb5007daf5 100644
--- a/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.h
+++ b/sys/v4l2/gstv4l2object.h
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ gboolean     gst_v4l2_object_get_property_helper       (GstV4l2Object *v4l2objec
                                                         GParamSpec * pspec);
 /* open/close */
 gboolean     gst_v4l2_object_open            (GstV4l2Object *v4l2object);
+gboolean     gst_v4l2_object_open_shared     (GstV4l2Object *v4l2object, GstV4l2Object *other);
 gboolean     gst_v4l2_object_close           (GstV4l2Object *v4l2object);
 
 /* probing */