diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index dc8a423e..81b2d6c1 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -789,7 +789,11 @@ func (c *Client) PosixRename(oldname, newname string) error {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Client) realpath(path string) (string, error) {
+// RealPath can be used to have the server canonicalize any given path name to an absolute path.
+//
+// This is useful for converting path names containing ".." components,
+// or relative pathnames without a leading slash into absolute paths.
+func (c *Client) RealPath(path string) (string, error) {
 	id := c.nextID()
 	typ, data, err := c.sendPacket(nil, &sshFxpRealpathPacket{
 		ID:   id,
@@ -820,7 +824,7 @@ func (c *Client) realpath(path string) (string, error) {
 // Getwd returns the current working directory of the server. Operations
 // involving relative paths will be based at this location.
 func (c *Client) Getwd() (string, error) {
-	return c.realpath(".")
+	return c.RealPath(".")
 }
 
 // Mkdir creates the specified directory. An error will be returned if a file or