diff --git a/lib/roken/hstrerror.c b/lib/roken/hstrerror.c
index ccc08ced9..e1c6a4206 100644
--- a/lib/roken/hstrerror.c
+++ b/lib/roken/hstrerror.c
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ char *const h_errlist[] = {
 static
 const
 int h_nerr = { sizeof h_errlist / sizeof h_errlist[0] };
+#else
+
+extern const char *h_errlist[];
+
+extern int h_nerr;
+
 #endif
 
 char *
@@ -37,4 +43,3 @@ hstrerror(int herr)
 }
 
 #endif
-