diff --git a/src/runtime/mod.rs b/src/runtime/mod.rs
index 3a098dcca503e27a53d98cbb55a213603094be10..2a3984726b3efe32bb18e86d6164fa22d6d616d4 100644
--- a/src/runtime/mod.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/mod.rs
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ pub struct SyncProtoContext<'a> {
     inbox: &'a HashMap<PortId, Payload>,
 }
 ////////////////
+pub fn would_block(err: &std::io::Error) -> bool {
+    err.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock
+}
 impl<T: std::cmp::Ord> VecSet<T> {
     fn iter(&self) -> std::slice::Iter<T> {
         self.vec.iter()