diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2c10459d..3ed3d785 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 ## Unreleased - ???
+- Add `janet_getjfile` to C API.
 - Add `:x` flag to os/execute to raise error when exit code is non-zero.
 - Don't run `main` when flychecking.
 - Add `:n` flag to `file/open` to raise an error if file cannot be opened.
diff --git a/src/core/io.c b/src/core/io.c
index d62a0f7a..d2b93af6 100644
--- a/src/core/io.c
+++ b/src/core/io.c
@@ -789,6 +789,10 @@ static const JanetReg io_cfuns[] = {
 
 /* C API */
 
+JanetFile *janet_getjfile(const Janet *argv, int32_t n) {
+    return janet_getabstract(argv, n, &janet_file_type);
+}
+
 FILE *janet_getfile(const Janet *argv, int32_t n, int *flags) {
     JanetFile *iof = janet_getabstract(argv, n, &janet_file_type);
     if (NULL != flags) *flags = iof->flags;
@@ -813,17 +817,18 @@ FILE *janet_unwrapfile(Janet j, int *flags) {
 void janet_lib_io(JanetTable *env) {
     janet_core_cfuns(env, NULL, io_cfuns);
     janet_register_abstract_type(&janet_file_type);
+    int default_flags = JANET_FILE_NOT_CLOSEABLE | JANET_FILE_SERIALIZABLE;
     /* stdout */
     janet_core_def(env, "stdout",
-                   janet_makefile(stdout, JANET_FILE_APPEND | JANET_FILE_NOT_CLOSEABLE | JANET_FILE_SERIALIZABLE),
+                   janet_makefile(stdout, JANET_FILE_APPEND | default_flags),
                    JDOC("The standard output file."));
     /* stderr */
     janet_core_def(env, "stderr",
-                   janet_makefile(stderr, JANET_FILE_APPEND | JANET_FILE_NOT_CLOSEABLE | JANET_FILE_SERIALIZABLE),
+                   janet_makefile(stderr, JANET_FILE_APPEND | default_flags),
                    JDOC("The standard error file."));
     /* stdin */
     janet_core_def(env, "stdin",
-                   janet_makefile(stdin, JANET_FILE_READ | JANET_FILE_NOT_CLOSEABLE | JANET_FILE_SERIALIZABLE),
+                   janet_makefile(stdin, JANET_FILE_READ | default_flags),
                    JDOC("The standard input file."));
 
 }
diff --git a/src/include/janet.h b/src/include/janet.h
index 2f40d144..443cef4e 100644
--- a/src/include/janet.h
+++ b/src/include/janet.h
@@ -1545,6 +1545,7 @@ extern JANET_API const JanetAbstractType janet_file_type;
 JANET_API Janet janet_makefile(FILE *f, int32_t flags);
 JANET_API FILE *janet_getfile(const Janet *argv, int32_t n, int32_t *flags);
 JANET_API FILE *janet_dynfile(const char *name, FILE *def);
+JANET_API JanetFile *janet_getjfile(const Janet *argv, int32_t n);
 JANET_API JanetAbstract janet_checkfile(Janet j);
 JANET_API FILE *janet_unwrapfile(Janet j, int32_t *flags);