diff --git a/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c b/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c
index f867f6ef76..03d1771a59 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkfilechooserdefault.c
@@ -2522,7 +2522,7 @@ put_recent_folder_in_pathbar (GtkFileChooserDefault *impl, GtkTreeIter *iter)
   gtk_tree_model_get (GTK_TREE_MODEL (priv->recent_model), iter,
 		      MODEL_COL_FILE, &file,
 		      -1);
-  _gtk_path_bar_set_file (GTK_PATH_BAR (priv->browse_path_bar), file, FALSE);
+  gtk_path_bar_set_location (GTK_PATH_BAR (priv->browse_path_bar), file, FALSE);
   g_object_unref (file);
 }
 
@@ -4615,7 +4615,7 @@ update_current_folder_get_info_cb (GCancellable *cancellable,
   if (! _gtk_file_info_consider_as_directory (info))
     goto out;
 
-  _gtk_path_bar_set_file (GTK_PATH_BAR (priv->browse_path_bar), data->file, data->keep_trail);
+  gtk_path_bar_set_location (GTK_PATH_BAR (priv->browse_path_bar), data->file, data->keep_trail);
 
   if (priv->current_folder != data->file)
     {
diff --git a/gtk/gtkpathbar.c b/gtk/gtkpathbar.c
index 012dd1ba6c..faeb4a95c7 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkpathbar.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkpathbar.c
@@ -1973,24 +1973,33 @@ gtk_path_bar_get_info_callback (GCancellable *cancellable,
 			       file_info);
 }
 
+/**
+ * gtk_path_bar_set_location:
+ * @path_bar: a #GtkPathBar
+ * @location: (allow-none): location to show, or #NULL for no current path
+ *
+ * Sets the location that the path bar should show.
+ *
+ * Since: 3.10
+ */
 void
-_gtk_path_bar_set_file (GtkPathBar      *path_bar,
-                        GFile           *file,
-                        const gboolean   keep_trail)
+gtk_path_bar_set_location (GtkPathBar *path_bar,
+			   GFile      *location,
+			   gboolean    keep_trail)
 {
   struct SetFileInfo *info;
 
   g_return_if_fail (GTK_IS_PATH_BAR (path_bar));
-  g_return_if_fail (G_IS_FILE (file));
+  g_return_if_fail (G_IS_FILE (location));
 
   /* Check whether the new path is already present in the pathbar as buttons.
    * This could be a parent directory or a previous selected subdirectory.
    */
-  if (keep_trail && gtk_path_bar_check_parent_path (path_bar, file))
+  if (keep_trail && gtk_path_bar_check_parent_path (path_bar, location))
     return;
 
   info = g_new0 (struct SetFileInfo, 1);
-  info->file = g_object_ref (file);
+  info->file = g_object_ref (location);
   info->path_bar = path_bar;
   info->first_directory = TRUE;
   info->parent_file = g_file_get_parent (info->file);
diff --git a/gtk/gtkpathbar.h b/gtk/gtkpathbar.h
index 30bb3e009d..6ca93a2e68 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkpathbar.h
+++ b/gtk/gtkpathbar.h
@@ -64,11 +64,12 @@ GtkWidget *gtk_path_bar_new (void);
 GtkPlacesOpenFlags gtk_path_bar_get_open_flags (GtkPathBar *path_bar);
 void gtk_path_bar_set_open_flags (GtkPathBar *path_bar, GtkPlacesOpenFlags flags);
 
+void gtk_path_bar_set_location (GtkPathBar *path_bar,
+				GFile      *location,
+				gboolean    keep_trail);
+
 void     _gtk_path_bar_set_file_system (GtkPathBar         *path_bar,
 					GtkFileSystem      *file_system);
-void     _gtk_path_bar_set_file        (GtkPathBar         *path_bar,
-					GFile              *file,
-					gboolean            keep_trail);
 void     _gtk_path_bar_up              (GtkPathBar *path_bar);
 void     _gtk_path_bar_down            (GtkPathBar *path_bar);