diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/fs/KPath.h b/headers/private/kernel/fs/KPath.h
index e1d2215139..5b4bbe4918 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/fs/KPath.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/fs/KPath.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ class KPath {
 
 		const char *Leaf() const;
 		status_t ReplaceLeaf(const char *newLeaf);
+		bool RemoveLeaf();
+			// returns false, if nothing could be removed anymore
 
 		status_t Append(const char *toAppend, bool isComponent = true);
 
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/fs/KPath.cpp b/src/system/kernel/fs/KPath.cpp
index ce6c006f91..e71aefeac6 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/fs/KPath.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/fs/KPath.cpp
@@ -202,6 +202,24 @@ KPath::ReplaceLeaf(const char *newLeaf)
 }
 
 
+bool
+KPath::RemoveLeaf()
+{
+	// get the leaf -- bail out, if not initialized or only the "/" is left
+	const char *leaf = Leaf();
+	if (!leaf || leaf == fBuffer)
+		return false;
+
+	// chop off the leaf
+	int32 leafIndex = leaf - fBuffer;
+	fBuffer[leafIndex] = '\0';
+	fPathLength = leafIndex;
+	_ChopTrailingSlashes();
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+
 status_t
 KPath::Append(const char *component, bool isComponent)
 {