diff --git a/cmd/disk.c b/cmd/disk.c
index c53c2a2..0883c79 100644
--- a/cmd/disk.c
+++ b/cmd/disk.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 
 	bootstage_mark(BOOTSTAGE_ID_IDE_BOOT_DEVICE);
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(intf, (argc == 3) ? argv[2] : NULL,
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(intf, (argc == 3) ? argv[2] : NULL,
 					&dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0) {
 		bootstage_error(BOOTSTAGE_ID_IDE_TYPE);
diff --git a/cmd/fat.c b/cmd/fat.c
index 82b9b38..18a1be9 100644
--- a/cmd/fat.c
+++ b/cmd/fat.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return 1;
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
 	if (argc < 5)
 		return cmd_usage(cmdtp);
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return 1;
 
diff --git a/cmd/part.c b/cmd/part.c
index dd32d50..415b38a 100644
--- a/cmd/part.c
+++ b/cmd/part.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 	if (argc > 3)
 		return CMD_RET_USAGE;
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(argv[0], argv[1], &dev_desc, &info, 0);
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(argv[0], argv[1], &dev_desc, &info, 0);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return 1;
 
diff --git a/cmd/reiser.c b/cmd/reiser.c
index 1cca5eb..a717956 100644
--- a/cmd/reiser.c
+++ b/cmd/reiser.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 	if (argc < 3)
 		return CMD_RET_USAGE;
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return 1;
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return 1;
 
diff --git a/cmd/zfs.c b/cmd/zfs.c
index 9076a8a..bb61afd 100644
--- a/cmd/zfs.c
+++ b/cmd/zfs.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return 1;
 
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
 	if (argc == 4)
 		filename = argv[3];
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(argv[1], argv[2], &dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return 1;
 
diff --git a/common/env_fat.c b/common/env_fat.c
index e88279e..2f22710 100644
--- a/common/env_fat.c
+++ b/common/env_fat.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(FAT_ENV_INTERFACE,
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(FAT_ENV_INTERFACE,
 					FAT_ENV_DEVICE_AND_PART,
 					&dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 	int dev, part;
 	int err;
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(FAT_ENV_INTERFACE,
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(FAT_ENV_INTERFACE,
 					FAT_ENV_DEVICE_AND_PART,
 					&dev_desc, &info, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
diff --git a/disk/part.c b/disk/part.c
index 2e7adbc..255ee79 100644
--- a/disk/part.c
+++ b/disk/part.c
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@
 #define PART_UNSPECIFIED -2
 #define PART_AUTO -1
 #define MAX_SEARCH_PARTITIONS 16
-int get_device_and_partition(const char *ifname, const char *dev_part_str,
+int blk_get_device_part_str(const char *ifname, const char *dev_part_str,
 			     struct blk_desc **dev_desc,
 			     disk_partition_t *info, int allow_whole_dev)
 {
diff --git a/fs/fs.c b/fs/fs.c
index 8515bea..595ff1f 100644
--- a/fs/fs.c
+++ b/fs/fs.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@
 	}
 #endif
 
-	part = get_device_and_partition(ifname, dev_part_str, &fs_dev_desc,
+	part = blk_get_device_part_str(ifname, dev_part_str, &fs_dev_desc,
 					&fs_partition, 1);
 	if (part < 0)
 		return -1;
diff --git a/fs/ubifs/ubifs.c b/fs/ubifs/ubifs.c
index 168ae2b..cdc04c6 100644
--- a/fs/ubifs/ubifs.c
+++ b/fs/ubifs/ubifs.c
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Should never happen since get_device_and_partition() already checks
+	 * Should never happen since blk_get_device_part_str() already checks
 	 * this, but better safe then sorry.
 	 */
 	if (!ubifs_is_mounted()) {
diff --git a/include/part.h b/include/part.h
index 6ca87d0..6197101 100644
--- a/include/part.h
+++ b/include/part.h
@@ -129,9 +129,43 @@
  */
 int blk_get_device_by_str(const char *ifname, const char *dev_str,
 			  struct blk_desc **dev_desc);
-int get_device_and_partition(const char *ifname, const char *dev_part_str,
-			     struct blk_desc **dev_desc,
-			     disk_partition_t *info, int allow_whole_dev);
+
+/**
+ * blk_get_device_part_str() - Get a block device and partition
+ *
+ * This calls blk_get_device_by_str() to look up a device. It also looks up
+ * a partition and returns information about it.
+ *
+ * @dev_part_str is in the format:
+ *	<dev>.<hw_part>:<part> where <dev> is the device number,
+ *	<hw_part> is the optional hardware partition number and
+ *	<part> is the partition number
+ *
+ * If ifname is "hostfs" then this function returns the sandbox host block
+ * device.
+ *
+ * If ifname is ubi, then this function returns 0, with @info set to a
+ * special UBI device.
+ *
+ * If @dev_part_str is NULL or empty or "-", then this function looks up
+ * the "bootdevice" environment variable and uses that string instead.
+ *
+ * If the partition string is empty then the first partition is used. If the
+ * partition string is "auto" then the first bootable partition is used.
+ *
+ * @ifname:	Interface name (e.g. "ide", "scsi")
+ * @dev_part_str:	Device and partition string
+ * @dev_desc:	Returns a pointer to the block device on success
+ * @info:	Returns partition information
+ * @allow_whole_dev:	true to allow the user to select partition 0
+ *		(which means the whole device), false to require a valid
+ *		partition number >= 1
+ * @return partition number, or -1 on error
+ *
+ */
+int blk_get_device_part_str(const char *ifname, const char *dev_part_str,
+			    struct blk_desc **dev_desc,
+			    disk_partition_t *info, int allow_whole_dev);
 #else
 static inline struct blk_desc *blk_get_dev(const char *ifname, int dev)
 { return NULL; }
@@ -153,7 +187,7 @@
 static inline int blk_get_device_by_str(const char *ifname, const char *dev_str,
 					struct blk_desc **dev_desc)
 { return -1; }
-static inline int get_device_and_partition(const char *ifname,
+static inline int blk_get_device_part_str(const char *ifname,
 					   const char *dev_part_str,
 					   struct blk_desc **dev_desc,
 					   disk_partition_t *info,