diff --git a/include/ircd/buffer/unique_buffer.h b/include/ircd/buffer/unique_buffer.h
index de10e66b1..4a04282dd 100644
--- a/include/ircd/buffer/unique_buffer.h
+++ b/include/ircd/buffer/unique_buffer.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ template<class buffer,
 struct ircd::buffer::unique_buffer
 :buffer
 {
+	buffer release();
+
 	unique_buffer(const size_t &size);
 	unique_buffer(std::unique_ptr<char[]> &&, const size_t &size);
 	explicit unique_buffer(const buffer &);
@@ -122,3 +124,13 @@ noexcept
 {
 	delete[] data(*this);
 }
+
+template<class buffer,
+         uint alignment>
+buffer
+ircd::buffer::unique_buffer<buffer, alignment>::release()
+{
+	const buffer ret{static_cast<buffer>(*this)};
+	static_cast<buffer &>(*this) = buffer{};
+	return ret;
+}