diff --git a/actix-files/CHANGES.md b/actix-files/CHANGES.md
index 7c4d008d8..307f5852d 100644
--- a/actix-files/CHANGES.md
+++ b/actix-files/CHANGES.md
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 ## Unreleased
 
 - Minimum supported Rust version (MSRV) is now 1.88.
+- `PathBufWrap` & `UriSegmentError` made public. [#3694]
+
+[#3694]: https://github.com/actix/actix-web/pull/3694
 
 ## 0.6.9
 
diff --git a/actix-files/src/error.rs b/actix-files/src/error.rs
index e762116e6..1ba4ce67e 100644
--- a/actix-files/src/error.rs
+++ b/actix-files/src/error.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ impl ResponseError for FilesError {
     }
 }
 
+/// Error which can occur with parsing/validating a request-uri path
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Display)]
 #[non_exhaustive]
 pub enum UriSegmentError {
diff --git a/actix-files/src/lib.rs b/actix-files/src/lib.rs
index 9859db456..b0bb76ace 100644
--- a/actix-files/src/lib.rs
+++ b/actix-files/src/lib.rs
@@ -37,13 +37,12 @@ mod range;
 mod service;
 
 pub use self::{
-    chunked::ChunkedReadFile, directory::Directory, files::Files, named::NamedFile,
-    range::HttpRange, service::FilesService,
+    chunked::ChunkedReadFile, directory::Directory, error::UriSegmentError, files::Files,
+    named::NamedFile, path_buf::PathBufWrap, range::HttpRange, service::FilesService,
 };
 use self::{
     directory::{directory_listing, DirectoryRenderer},
     error::FilesError,
-    path_buf::PathBufWrap,
 };
 
 type HttpService = BoxService<ServiceRequest, ServiceResponse, Error>;
diff --git a/actix-files/src/path_buf.rs b/actix-files/src/path_buf.rs
index c1983279b..0fe8493bf 100644
--- a/actix-files/src/path_buf.rs
+++ b/actix-files/src/path_buf.rs
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@ use actix_web::{dev::Payload, FromRequest, HttpRequest};
 
 use crate::error::UriSegmentError;
 
+/// Secure Path Traversal Guard
+///
+/// This struct parses a request-uri [`PathBuf`](std::path::PathBuf)
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
-pub(crate) struct PathBufWrap(PathBuf);
+pub struct PathBufWrap(PathBuf);
 
 impl FromStr for PathBufWrap {
     type Err = UriSegmentError;
@@ -20,6 +23,37 @@ impl FromStr for PathBufWrap {
 }
 
 impl PathBufWrap {
+    /// Parse a safe path from the unprocessed tail of a supplied
+    /// [`HttpRequest`](actix_web::HttpRequest), given the choice of allowing hidden files to be
+    /// considered valid segments.
+    ///
+    /// This uses [`HttpRequest::match_info`](actix_web::HttpRequest::match_info) and
+    /// [`Path::unprocessed`](actix_web::dev::Path::unprocessed), which returns the part of the
+    /// path not matched by route patterns. This is useful for mounted services (eg. `Files`),
+    /// where only the tail should be parsed.
+    ///
+    /// Path traversal is guarded by this method.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn parse_unprocessed_req(
+        req: &HttpRequest,
+        hidden_files: bool,
+    ) -> Result<Self, UriSegmentError> {
+        Self::parse_path(req.match_info().unprocessed(), hidden_files)
+    }
+
+    /// Parse a safe path from the full request path of a supplied
+    /// [`HttpRequest`](actix_web::HttpRequest), given the choice of allowing hidden files to be
+    /// considered valid segments.
+    ///
+    /// This uses [`HttpRequest::path`](actix_web::HttpRequest::path), and is more appropriate
+    /// for non-mounted handlers that want the entire request path.
+    ///
+    /// Path traversal is guarded by this method.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn parse_req_path(req: &HttpRequest, hidden_files: bool) -> Result<Self, UriSegmentError> {
+        Self::parse_path(req.path(), hidden_files)
+    }
+
     /// Parse a path, giving the choice of allowing hidden files to be considered valid segments.
     ///
     /// Path traversal is guarded by this method.
@@ -91,6 +125,7 @@ impl FromRequest for PathBufWrap {
     type Future = Ready<Result<Self, Self::Error>>;
 
     fn from_request(req: &HttpRequest, _: &mut Payload) -> Self::Future {
+        // Uses the unprocessed tail of the request path and disallows hidden files.
         ready(req.match_info().unprocessed().parse())
     }
 }