diff --git a/src/server/gdb_server.c b/src/server/gdb_server.c
index c96be1034..bb4c1317d 100644
--- a/src/server/gdb_server.c
+++ b/src/server/gdb_server.c
@@ -3509,7 +3509,7 @@ static int gdb_target_start(struct target *target, const char *port)
 
 	ret = add_service("gdb",
 			port, target->gdb_max_connections, &gdb_new_connection, &gdb_input,
-			&gdb_connection_closed, gdb_service);
+			&gdb_connection_closed, gdb_service, NULL);
 	/* initialize all targets gdb service with the same pointer */
 	{
 		struct target_list *head;
diff --git a/src/server/server.c b/src/server/server.c
index e53f37d0b..114af7632 100644
--- a/src/server/server.c
+++ b/src/server/server.c
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ int add_service(char *name,
 	new_connection_handler_t new_connection_handler,
 	input_handler_t input_handler,
 	connection_closed_handler_t connection_closed_handler,
-	void *priv)
+	void *priv,
+	struct service **new_service)
 {
 	struct service *c, **p;
 	struct hostent *hp;
@@ -346,6 +347,10 @@ int add_service(char *name,
 		;
 	*p = c;
 
+	/* if new_service is not NULL, return the created service into it */
+	if (new_service)
+		*new_service = c;
+
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/server/server.h b/src/server/server.h
index ff2ada9cb..99f5fe2ed 100644
--- a/src/server/server.h
+++ b/src/server/server.h
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ struct service {
 int add_service(char *name, const char *port,
 		int max_connections, new_connection_handler_t new_connection_handler,
 		input_handler_t in_handler, connection_closed_handler_t close_handler,
-		void *priv);
+		void *priv, struct service **new_service);
 int remove_service(const char *name, const char *port);
 
 int server_host_os_entry(void);
diff --git a/src/server/tcl_server.c b/src/server/tcl_server.c
index 1ecb827a1..07213ae79 100644
--- a/src/server/tcl_server.c
+++ b/src/server/tcl_server.c
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ int tcl_init(void)
 
 	return add_service("tcl", tcl_port, CONNECTION_LIMIT_UNLIMITED,
 		&tcl_new_connection, &tcl_input,
-		&tcl_closed, NULL);
+		&tcl_closed, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
 COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_tcl_port_command)
diff --git a/src/server/telnet_server.c b/src/server/telnet_server.c
index 407ab68ae..4f88d3a54 100644
--- a/src/server/telnet_server.c
+++ b/src/server/telnet_server.c
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ int telnet_init(char *banner)
 
 	int ret = add_service("telnet", telnet_port, CONNECTION_LIMIT_UNLIMITED,
 		telnet_new_connection, telnet_input, telnet_connection_closed,
-		telnet_service);
+		telnet_service, NULL);
 
 	if (ret != ERROR_OK) {
 		free(telnet_service);
diff --git a/src/target/openrisc/jsp_server.c b/src/target/openrisc/jsp_server.c
index 4dbe63527..b4b25665d 100644
--- a/src/target/openrisc/jsp_server.c
+++ b/src/target/openrisc/jsp_server.c
@@ -207,7 +207,8 @@ int jsp_init(struct or1k_jtag *jtag_info, char *banner)
 		jsp_new_connection,
 		jsp_input,
 		jsp_connection_closed,
-		jsp_service);
+		jsp_service,
+		NULL);
 }
 
 COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_jsp_port_command)