diff --git a/daemon/container_operations_unix.go b/daemon/container_operations_unix.go
index f281245d4c..a45e44971a 100644
--- a/daemon/container_operations_unix.go
+++ b/daemon/container_operations_unix.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) setupLinkedContainers(ctr *container.Container) ([]string,
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("container %s not attached to default bridge network", child.ID)
 		}
 
-		link := links.NewLink(
+		linkEnvVars := links.EnvVars(
 			bridgeSettings.IPAddress,
 			childBridgeSettings.IPAddress,
 			linkAlias,
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (daemon *Daemon) setupLinkedContainers(ctr *container.Container) ([]string,
 			child.Config.ExposedPorts,
 		)
 
-		env = append(env, link.ToEnv()...)
+		env = append(env, linkEnvVars...)
 	}
 
 	return env, nil
diff --git a/daemon/links/links.go b/daemon/links/links.go
index fe75ce7d22..fb9e7e8378 100644
--- a/daemon/links/links.go
+++ b/daemon/links/links.go
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ type Link struct {
 	Ports []nat.Port
 }
 
+// EnvVars generates environment variables for the linked container
+// for the Link with the given options.
+func EnvVars(parentIP, childIP, name string, env []string, exposedPorts map[nat.Port]struct{}) []string {
+	return NewLink(parentIP, childIP, name, env, exposedPorts).ToEnv()
+}
+
 // NewLink initializes a new Link struct with the provided options.
 func NewLink(parentIP, childIP, name string, env []string, exposedPorts map[nat.Port]struct{}) *Link {
 	ports := make([]nat.Port, 0, len(exposedPorts))
diff --git a/daemon/links/links_test.go b/daemon/links/links_test.go
index 4f7e06b7ee..e4cae045b5 100644
--- a/daemon/links/links_test.go
+++ b/daemon/links/links_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestLinkNaming(t *testing.T) {
-	link := NewLink("172.0.17.3", "172.0.17.2", "/db/docker-1", nil, nat.PortSet{
+	actual := EnvVars("172.0.17.3", "172.0.17.2", "/db/docker-1", nil, nat.PortSet{
 		"6379/tcp": struct{}{},
 	})
 
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ func TestLinkNaming(t *testing.T) {
 		"DOCKER_1_PORT_6379_TCP_PROTO=tcp",
 	}
 
-	actual := link.ToEnv()
 	sort.Strings(actual) // order of env-vars is not relevant
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, expectedEnv, actual)
 }
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ func TestLinkNew(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestLinkEnv(t *testing.T) {
-	link := NewLink("172.0.17.3", "172.0.17.2", "/db/docker", []string{"PASSWORD=gordon"}, nat.PortSet{
+	actual := EnvVars("172.0.17.3", "172.0.17.2", "/db/docker", []string{"PASSWORD=gordon"}, nat.PortSet{
 		"6379/tcp": struct{}{},
 	})
 
@@ -57,13 +56,12 @@ func TestLinkEnv(t *testing.T) {
 		"DOCKER_PORT_6379_TCP_PROTO=tcp",
 	}
 
-	actual := link.ToEnv()
 	sort.Strings(actual) // order of env-vars is not relevant
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, expectedEnv, actual)
 }
 
 func TestLinkMultipleEnv(t *testing.T) {
-	link := NewLink("172.0.17.3", "172.0.17.2", "/db/docker", []string{"PASSWORD=gordon"}, nat.PortSet{
+	actual := EnvVars("172.0.17.3", "172.0.17.2", "/db/docker", []string{"PASSWORD=gordon"}, nat.PortSet{
 		"6379/tcp": struct{}{},
 		"6380/tcp": struct{}{},
 		"6381/tcp": struct{}{},
@@ -95,7 +93,6 @@ func TestLinkMultipleEnv(t *testing.T) {
 		"DOCKER_PORT_6381_TCP_PROTO=tcp",
 	}
 
-	actual := link.ToEnv()
 	sort.Strings(actual) // order of env-vars is not relevant
 	assert.DeepEqual(t, expectedEnv, actual)
 }