diff --git a/src/include/kernel/socket.h b/src/include/kernel/socket.h
index 60d4830..62412d7 100644
--- a/src/include/kernel/socket.h
+++ b/src/include/kernel/socket.h
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ typedef struct SocketDescriptor {
 
 void socketInit();
 SocketDescriptor *getLocalSocket(const struct sockaddr *, socklen_t);
+void socketLock();
+void socketRelease();
 
 /* socket system calls */
 int socket(Thread *, int, int, int);
diff --git a/src/ipc/sockinit.c b/src/ipc/sockinit.c
index a88889f..bb17f4e 100644
--- a/src/ipc/sockinit.c
+++ b/src/ipc/sockinit.c
@@ -59,6 +59,24 @@ SocketDescriptor *getLocalSocket(const struct sockaddr *addr, socklen_t len) {
     return NULL;
 }
 
+/* socketLock(): acquires the socket descriptor spinlock
+ * params: none
+ * returns: nothing
+ */
+
+void socketLock() {
+    acquireLockBlocking(&lock);
+}
+
+/* socketRelease(): frees the socket descriptor spinlock
+ * params: none
+ * returns: nothing
+ */
+
+void socketRelease() {
+    releaseLock(&lock);
+}
+
 /* socket(): opens a communication socket
  * params: t - calling thread, NULL for kernel threads
  * params: domain - socket domain/family