diff --git a/include/net-common.h b/include/net-common.h
index 3cd0f343744..b7a519e36db 100644
--- a/include/net-common.h
+++ b/include/net-common.h
@@ -426,6 +426,16 @@ void string_to_enetaddr(const char *addr, uint8_t *enetaddr);
  */
 struct in_addr string_to_ip(const char *s);
 
+/**
+ * ip_to_string() - Convert a string to ip address
+ *
+ * Implemented in lib/net_utils.c (built unconditionally)
+ *
+ * @x: Input ip to parse
+ * @s: string containing the parsed ip address
+ */
+void ip_to_string(struct in_addr x, char *s);
+
 /* copy a filename (allow for "..." notation, limit length) */
 void copy_filename(char *dst, const char *src, int size);
 
diff --git a/lib/net_utils.c b/lib/net_utils.c
index c70fef0d991..621f6512b62 100644
--- a/lib/net_utils.c
+++ b/lib/net_utils.c
@@ -152,6 +152,17 @@ out_err:
 }
 #endif
 
+void ip_to_string(struct in_addr x, char *s)
+{
+	x.s_addr = ntohl(x.s_addr);
+	sprintf(s, "%d.%d.%d.%d",
+		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 24) & 0xff),
+		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 16) & 0xff),
+		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 8) & 0xff),
+		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 0) & 0xff)
+	);
+}
+
 void string_to_enetaddr(const char *addr, uint8_t *enetaddr)
 {
 	char *end;
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index f47e9fbe33a..ca35704f661 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -1723,17 +1723,6 @@ int net_parse_bootfile(struct in_addr *ipaddr, char *filename, int max_len)
 	return 1;
 }
 
-void ip_to_string(struct in_addr x, char *s)
-{
-	x.s_addr = ntohl(x.s_addr);
-	sprintf(s, "%d.%d.%d.%d",
-		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 24) & 0xff),
-		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 16) & 0xff),
-		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 8) & 0xff),
-		(int) ((x.s_addr >> 0) & 0xff)
-	);
-}
-
 void vlan_to_string(ushort x, char *s)
 {
 	x = ntohs(x);