diff --git a/include/haproxy/http_ana.h b/include/haproxy/http_ana.h
index 6215c50cc..4dd80e647 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/http_ana.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/http_ana.h
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ struct http_reply *http_error_message(struct stream *s);
 int http_reply_to_htx(struct stream *s, struct htx *htx, struct http_reply *reply);
 int http_reply_message(struct stream *s, struct http_reply *reply);
 int http_forward_proxy_resp(struct stream *s, int final);
+struct htx *http_early_hint_start(struct stream *s);
+int http_early_hint_end(struct stream *s);
 
 struct http_txn *http_create_txn(struct stream *s);
 void http_destroy_txn(struct stream *s);
diff --git a/src/http_act.c b/src/http_act.c
index 7b6914909..bf0d9a47c 100644
--- a/src/http_act.c
+++ b/src/http_act.c
@@ -1370,21 +1370,8 @@ static enum act_return http_action_early_hint(struct act_rule *rule, struct prox
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	/* if there is no pending 103 response, start a new response. Otherwise,
-	 * continue to add link to a previously started response
-         */
-	if (s->txn.http->status != 103) {
-		struct htx_sl *sl;
-		unsigned int flags = (HTX_SL_F_IS_RESP|HTX_SL_F_VER_11|
-				      HTX_SL_F_XFER_LEN|HTX_SL_F_BODYLESS);
-
-		sl = htx_add_stline(htx, HTX_BLK_RES_SL, flags,
-				    ist("HTTP/1.1"), ist("103"), ist("Early Hints"));
-		if (!sl)
-			goto error;
-		sl->info.res.status = 103;
-		s->txn.http->status = 103;
-	}
+	if (!http_early_hint_start(s))
+		goto error;
 
 	/* Add the HTTP Early Hint HTTP 103 response header */
 	value->data = build_logline(s, b_tail(value), b_room(value), &rule->arg.http.fmt);
@@ -1396,11 +1383,8 @@ static enum act_return http_action_early_hint(struct act_rule *rule, struct prox
 	 */
 	next_rule = LIST_NEXT(&rule->list, typeof(rule), list);
 	if (&next_rule->list == s->current_rule_list || next_rule->action_ptr != http_action_early_hint || next_rule->cond) {
-		if (!htx_add_endof(htx, HTX_BLK_EOH))
+		if (!http_early_hint_end(s))
 			goto error;
-		if (!http_forward_proxy_resp(s, 0))
-			goto error;
-		s->txn.http->status = 0;
 	}
 
   leave:
diff --git a/src/http_ana.c b/src/http_ana.c
index 4806afd65..749f7919e 100644
--- a/src/http_ana.c
+++ b/src/http_ana.c
@@ -4765,6 +4765,47 @@ int http_forward_proxy_resp(struct stream *s, int final)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Start a 103 Early Hints response in the response buffer if not already in
+ * progress (txn->status != 103). The caller is responsible for skipping this
+ * call for HTTP/1.0 clients. Returns the htx to which the caller can add Link
+ * headers, or NULL on error.
+ */
+struct htx *http_early_hint_start(struct stream *s)
+{
+	struct htx *htx = htx_from_buf(&s->res.buf);
+
+	if (s->txn.http->status != 103) {
+		struct htx_sl *sl;
+		unsigned int flags = (HTX_SL_F_IS_RESP|HTX_SL_F_VER_11|
+		                      HTX_SL_F_XFER_LEN|HTX_SL_F_BODYLESS);
+
+		sl = htx_add_stline(htx, HTX_BLK_RES_SL, flags,
+		                    ist("HTTP/1.1"), ist("103"), ist("Early Hints"));
+		if (!sl)
+			return NULL;
+		sl->info.res.status = 103;
+		s->txn.http->status = 103;
+	}
+	return htx;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Finalize a 103 Early Hints response. Returns 1 on success, 0 on error
+ * (caller is responsible for truncating the response buffer on failure).
+ */
+int http_early_hint_end(struct stream *s)
+{
+	struct htx *htx = htxbuf(&s->res.buf);
+
+	if (!htx_add_endof(htx, HTX_BLK_EOH))
+		return 0;
+	if (!http_forward_proxy_resp(s, 0))
+		return 0;
+	s->txn.http->status = 0;
+	return 1;
+}
+
 void http_server_error(struct stream *s, struct stconn *sc, int err,
 		       int finst, struct http_reply *msg)
 {