diff --git a/include/boost/python/object/function.hpp b/include/boost/python/object/function.hpp
index 2a05a946..d750ad80 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/object/function.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object/function.hpp
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL function : PyObject
     function* m_overloads;
 };
 
-extern BOOST_PYTHON_DECL PyTypeObject function_type;
-
 //
 // implementations
 //
diff --git a/src/object/function.cpp b/src/object/function.cpp
index a9f0c94d..b251618d 100644
--- a/src/object/function.cpp
+++ b/src/object/function.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 namespace boost { namespace python { namespace objects { 
 
+extern PyTypeObject function_type;
 
 function::function(py_function implementation, unsigned min_args, unsigned max_args)
     : m_fn(implementation)