diff --git a/include/boost/archive/archive_exception.hpp b/include/boost/archive/archive_exception.hpp
index 5761c0e1..50ad5b53 100644
--- a/include/boost/archive/archive_exception.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/archive/archive_exception.hpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public:
         const char * e2 = NULL
     ) BOOST_NOEXCEPT;
     virtual BOOST_ARCHIVE_DECL ~archive_exception() BOOST_NOEXCEPT_OR_NOTHROW ;
-    virtual const char * BOOST_ARCHIVE_DECL what() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT_OR_NOTHROW ;
+    virtual BOOST_ARCHIVE_DECL const char * what() const BOOST_NOEXCEPT_OR_NOTHROW ;
 };
 
 }// namespace archive