diff --git a/libavformat/applehttpproto.c b/libavformat/applehttpproto.c
index ac518dcd7c..7e89534f88 100644
--- a/libavformat/applehttpproto.c
+++ b/libavformat/applehttpproto.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "libavutil/avstring.h"
 #include "avformat.h"
 #include "internal.h"
+#include "url.h"
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 /*
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ retry:
     }
     url = s->segments[s->cur_seq_no - s->start_seq_no]->url,
     av_log(NULL, AV_LOG_DEBUG, "opening %s\n", url);
-    ret = url_open(&s->seg_hd, url, URL_RDONLY);
+    ret = ffurl_open(&s->seg_hd, url, URL_RDONLY);
     if (ret < 0) {
         if (url_interrupt_cb())
             return AVERROR_EXIT;
diff --git a/libavformat/avio.c b/libavformat/avio.c
index 5a6c53ba23..a14ea767bc 100644
--- a/libavformat/avio.c
+++ b/libavformat/avio.c
@@ -176,6 +176,10 @@ int url_connect(URLContext* uc)
 {
     return ffurl_connect(uc);
 }
+int url_open(URLContext **puc, const char *filename, int flags)
+{
+    return ffurl_open(puc, filename, flags);
+}
 #endif
 
 #define URL_SCHEME_CHARS                        \
@@ -211,7 +215,7 @@ int ffurl_alloc(URLContext **puc, const char *filename, int flags)
     return AVERROR(ENOENT);
 }
 
-int url_open(URLContext **puc, const char *filename, int flags)
+int ffurl_open(URLContext **puc, const char *filename, int flags)
 {
     int ret = ffurl_alloc(puc, filename, flags);
     if (ret)
@@ -292,7 +296,7 @@ int64_t url_seek(URLContext *h, int64_t pos, int whence)
 int url_close(URLContext *h)
 {
     int ret = 0;
-    if (!h) return 0; /* can happen when url_open fails */
+    if (!h) return 0; /* can happen when ffurl_open fails */
 
     if (h->is_connected && h->prot->url_close)
         ret = h->prot->url_close(h);
@@ -308,7 +312,7 @@ int url_close(URLContext *h)
 int url_exist(const char *filename)
 {
     URLContext *h;
-    if (url_open(&h, filename, URL_RDONLY) < 0)
+    if (ffurl_open(&h, filename, URL_RDONLY) < 0)
         return 0;
     url_close(h);
     return 1;
diff --git a/libavformat/avio.h b/libavformat/avio.h
index 311a51f8c4..02d05f64cb 100644
--- a/libavformat/avio.h
+++ b/libavformat/avio.h
@@ -104,21 +104,9 @@ attribute_deprecated int url_open_protocol (URLContext **puc, struct URLProtocol
                                             const char *url, int flags);
 attribute_deprecated int url_alloc(URLContext **h, const char *url, int flags);
 attribute_deprecated int url_connect(URLContext *h);
+attribute_deprecated int url_open(URLContext **h, const char *url, int flags);
 #endif
 
-/**
- * Create an URLContext for accessing to the resource indicated by
- * url, and open it.
- *
- * @param puc pointer to the location where, in case of success, the
- * function puts the pointer to the created URLContext
- * @param flags flags which control how the resource indicated by url
- * is to be opened
- * @return 0 in case of success, a negative value corresponding to an
- * AVERROR code in case of failure
- */
-int url_open(URLContext **h, const char *url, int flags);
-
 /**
  * Read up to size bytes from the resource accessed by h, and store
  * the read bytes in buf.
diff --git a/libavformat/aviobuf.c b/libavformat/aviobuf.c
index d126fa8b0f..1ae104942c 100644
--- a/libavformat/aviobuf.c
+++ b/libavformat/aviobuf.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "avio.h"
 #include "avio_internal.h"
 #include "internal.h"
+#include "url.h"
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
 #define IO_BUFFER_SIZE 32768
@@ -944,7 +945,7 @@ int avio_open(AVIOContext **s, const char *filename, int flags)
     URLContext *h;
     int err;
 
-    err = url_open(&h, filename, flags);
+    err = ffurl_open(&h, filename, flags);
     if (err < 0)
         return err;
     err = ffio_fdopen(s, h);
diff --git a/libavformat/concat.c b/libavformat/concat.c
index 92cc2c8a4b..e99ded2edf 100644
--- a/libavformat/concat.c
+++ b/libavformat/concat.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "avformat.h"
 #include "libavutil/avstring.h"
 #include "libavutil/mem.h"
+#include "url.h"
 
 #define AV_CAT_SEPARATOR "|"
 
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ static av_cold int concat_open(URLContext *h, const char *uri, int flags)
         uri += len + strspn(uri+len, AV_CAT_SEPARATOR);
 
         /* creating URLContext */
-        if ((err = url_open(&uc, node_uri, flags)) < 0)
+        if ((err = ffurl_open(&uc, node_uri, flags)) < 0)
             break;
 
         /* creating size */
diff --git a/libavformat/gopher.c b/libavformat/gopher.c
index 4681c8e194..c2e290d077 100644
--- a/libavformat/gopher.c
+++ b/libavformat/gopher.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "avformat.h"
 #include "internal.h"
 #include "network.h"
+#include "url.h"
 
 typedef struct {
     URLContext *hd;
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ static int gopher_open(URLContext *h, const char *uri, int flags)
     ff_url_join(buf, sizeof(buf), "tcp", NULL, hostname, port, NULL);
 
     s->hd = NULL;
-    err = url_open(&s->hd, buf, URL_RDWR);
+    err = ffurl_open(&s->hd, buf, URL_RDWR);
     if (err < 0)
         goto fail;
 
diff --git a/libavformat/http.c b/libavformat/http.c
index 9b3d606d72..b02de279f2 100644
--- a/libavformat/http.c
+++ b/libavformat/http.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "http.h"
 #include "os_support.h"
 #include "httpauth.h"
+#include "url.h"
 #include "libavutil/opt.h"
 
 /* XXX: POST protocol is not completely implemented because ffmpeg uses
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ static int http_open_cnx(URLContext *h)
         port = 80;
 
     ff_url_join(buf, sizeof(buf), "tcp", NULL, hostname, port, NULL);
-    err = url_open(&hd, buf, URL_RDWR);
+    err = ffurl_open(&hd, buf, URL_RDWR);
     if (err < 0)
         goto fail;
 
diff --git a/libavformat/md5proto.c b/libavformat/md5proto.c
index 47e34ebb24..23815095d1 100644
--- a/libavformat/md5proto.c
+++ b/libavformat/md5proto.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "libavutil/error.h"
 #include "avformat.h"
 #include "avio.h"
+#include "url.h"
 
 #define PRIV_SIZE 128
 
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ static int md5_close(URLContext *h)
     av_strstart(filename, "md5:", &filename);
 
     if (*filename) {
-        err = url_open(&out, filename, URL_WRONLY);
+        err = ffurl_open(&out, filename, URL_WRONLY);
         if (err)
             return err;
         err = url_write(out, buf, i*2+1);
diff --git a/libavformat/mmst.c b/libavformat/mmst.c
index ba29b9e05b..fa17fe524b 100644
--- a/libavformat/mmst.c
+++ b/libavformat/mmst.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "libavutil/intreadwrite.h"
 #include "libavcodec/bytestream.h"
 #include "network.h"
+#include "url.h"
 
 #define LOCAL_ADDRESS 0xc0a80081    // FIXME get and use correct local ip address.
 #define LOCAL_PORT    1037          // as above.
@@ -522,7 +523,7 @@ static int mms_open(URLContext *h, const char *uri, int flags)
 
     // establish tcp connection.
     ff_url_join(tcpname, sizeof(tcpname), "tcp", NULL, mmst->host, port, NULL);
-    err = url_open(&mms->mms_hd, tcpname, URL_RDWR);
+    err = ffurl_open(&mms->mms_hd, tcpname, URL_RDWR);
     if (err)
         goto fail;
 
diff --git a/libavformat/rtmpproto.c b/libavformat/rtmpproto.c
index d74dfac794..7c21ff7bfe 100644
--- a/libavformat/rtmpproto.c
+++ b/libavformat/rtmpproto.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "flv.h"
 #include "rtmp.h"
 #include "rtmppkt.h"
+#include "url.h"
 
 /* we can't use av_log() with URLContext yet... */
 #if FF_API_URL_CLASS
@@ -820,7 +821,7 @@ static int rtmp_open(URLContext *s, const char *uri, int flags)
         port = RTMP_DEFAULT_PORT;
     ff_url_join(buf, sizeof(buf), "tcp", NULL, hostname, port, NULL);
 
-    if (url_open(&rt->stream, buf, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
+    if (ffurl_open(&rt->stream, buf, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
         av_log(LOG_CONTEXT, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Cannot open connection %s\n", buf);
         goto fail;
     }
diff --git a/libavformat/rtpproto.c b/libavformat/rtpproto.c
index 6b537c88ec..1691f3cb48 100644
--- a/libavformat/rtpproto.c
+++ b/libavformat/rtpproto.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "avformat.h"
 #include "avio_internal.h"
 #include "rtpdec.h"
+#include "url.h"
 
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ static int rtp_open(URLContext *h, const char *uri, int flags)
     build_udp_url(buf, sizeof(buf),
                   hostname, rtp_port, local_rtp_port, ttl, max_packet_size,
                   connect);
-    if (url_open(&s->rtp_hd, buf, flags) < 0)
+    if (ffurl_open(&s->rtp_hd, buf, flags) < 0)
         goto fail;
     if (local_rtp_port>=0 && local_rtcp_port<0)
         local_rtcp_port = ff_udp_get_local_port(s->rtp_hd) + 1;
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@ static int rtp_open(URLContext *h, const char *uri, int flags)
     build_udp_url(buf, sizeof(buf),
                   hostname, rtcp_port, local_rtcp_port, ttl, max_packet_size,
                   connect);
-    if (url_open(&s->rtcp_hd, buf, flags) < 0)
+    if (ffurl_open(&s->rtcp_hd, buf, flags) < 0)
         goto fail;
 
     /* just to ease handle access. XXX: need to suppress direct handle
diff --git a/libavformat/rtsp.c b/libavformat/rtsp.c
index 0f7b11edcc..30deeccf93 100644
--- a/libavformat/rtsp.c
+++ b/libavformat/rtsp.c
@@ -1116,14 +1116,14 @@ int ff_rtsp_make_setup_request(AVFormatContext *s, const char *host, int port,
                                 "?localport=%d", j);
                     /* we will use two ports per rtp stream (rtp and rtcp) */
                     j += 2;
-                    if (url_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, buf, URL_RDWR) == 0)
+                    if (ffurl_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, buf, URL_RDWR) == 0)
                         goto rtp_opened;
                 }
             }
 
 #if 0
             /* then try on any port */
-            if (url_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, "rtp://", URL_RDONLY) < 0) {
+            if (ffurl_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, "rtp://", URL_RDONLY) < 0) {
                 err = AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
                 goto fail;
             }
@@ -1269,7 +1269,7 @@ int ff_rtsp_make_setup_request(AVFormatContext *s, const char *host, int port,
                         namebuf, sizeof(namebuf), NULL, 0, NI_NUMERICHOST);
             ff_url_join(url, sizeof(url), "rtp", NULL, namebuf,
                         port, "?ttl=%d", ttl);
-            if (url_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, url, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
+            if (ffurl_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, url, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
                 err = AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
                 goto fail;
             }
@@ -1460,7 +1460,7 @@ redirect:
     } else {
         /* open the tcp connection */
         ff_url_join(tcpname, sizeof(tcpname), "tcp", NULL, host, port, NULL);
-        if (url_open(&rt->rtsp_hd, tcpname, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
+        if (ffurl_open(&rt->rtsp_hd, tcpname, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
             err = AVERROR(EIO);
             goto fail;
         }
@@ -1807,7 +1807,7 @@ static int sdp_read_header(AVFormatContext *s, AVFormatParameters *ap)
                     namebuf, rtsp_st->sdp_port,
                     "?localport=%d&ttl=%d", rtsp_st->sdp_port,
                     rtsp_st->sdp_ttl);
-        if (url_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, url, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
+        if (ffurl_open(&rtsp_st->rtp_handle, url, URL_RDWR) < 0) {
             err = AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
             goto fail;
         }
@@ -1863,7 +1863,7 @@ static int rtp_read_header(AVFormatContext *s,
     if (!ff_network_init())
         return AVERROR(EIO);
 
-    ret = url_open(&in, s->filename, URL_RDONLY);
+    ret = ffurl_open(&in, s->filename, URL_RDONLY);
     if (ret)
         goto fail;
 
diff --git a/libavformat/sapdec.c b/libavformat/sapdec.c
index e79594bc28..c85039f4da 100644
--- a/libavformat/sapdec.c
+++ b/libavformat/sapdec.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "os_support.h"
 #include "internal.h"
 #include "avio_internal.h"
+#include "url.h"
 #if HAVE_POLL_H
 #include <poll.h>
 #endif
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ static int sap_read_header(AVFormatContext *s,
 
     ff_url_join(url, sizeof(url), "udp", NULL, host, port, "?localport=%d",
                 port);
-    ret = url_open(&sap->ann_fd, url, URL_RDONLY);
+    ret = ffurl_open(&sap->ann_fd, url, URL_RDONLY);
     if (ret)
         goto fail;
 
diff --git a/libavformat/sapenc.c b/libavformat/sapenc.c
index 091d11b84b..c811d2f001 100644
--- a/libavformat/sapenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/sapenc.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "network.h"
 #include "os_support.h"
 #include "rtpenc_chain.h"
+#include "url.h"
 
 struct SAPState {
     uint8_t    *ann;
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ static int sap_write_header(AVFormatContext *s)
                     "?ttl=%d", ttl);
         if (!same_port)
             base_port += 2;
-        ret = url_open(&fd, url, URL_WRONLY);
+        ret = ffurl_open(&fd, url, URL_WRONLY);
         if (ret) {
             ret = AVERROR(EIO);
             goto fail;
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ static int sap_write_header(AVFormatContext *s)
 
     ff_url_join(url, sizeof(url), "udp", NULL, announce_addr, port,
                 "?ttl=%d&connect=1", ttl);
-    ret = url_open(&sap->ann_fd, url, URL_WRONLY);
+    ret = ffurl_open(&sap->ann_fd, url, URL_WRONLY);
     if (ret) {
         ret = AVERROR(EIO);
         goto fail;
diff --git a/libavformat/url.h b/libavformat/url.h
index 30fbf62aec..af7dc5c4b6 100644
--- a/libavformat/url.h
+++ b/libavformat/url.h
@@ -45,4 +45,17 @@ int ffurl_alloc(URLContext **h, const char *url, int flags);
  */
 int ffurl_connect(URLContext *h);
 
+/**
+ * Create an URLContext for accessing to the resource indicated by
+ * url, and open it.
+ *
+ * @param puc pointer to the location where, in case of success, the
+ * function puts the pointer to the created URLContext
+ * @param flags flags which control how the resource indicated by url
+ * is to be opened
+ * @return 0 in case of success, a negative value corresponding to an
+ * AVERROR code in case of failure
+ */
+int ffurl_open(URLContext **h, const char *url, int flags);
+
 #endif //AVFORMAT_URL_H