diff --git a/lib/com_err/com_err.c b/lib/com_err/com_err.c
index 9a4cebae5..725f54457 100644
--- a/lib/com_err/com_err.c
+++ b/lib/com_err/com_err.c
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@ RCSID("$Id$");
 #include <string.h>
 #include "com_err.h"
 
-static struct error_table *et_list;
+struct et_list *_et_list;
 
 const char *
 error_message (long code)
 {
     static char msg[128];
-    const char *p = com_right(et_list, code);
+    const char *p = com_right(_et_list, code);
     if(p){
 	strncpy(msg, p, sizeof(msg));
 	msg[sizeof(msg)-1] = '\0';
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ error_message (long code)
 int
 init_error_table(const char **msgs, long base, int count)
 {
-    initialize_error_table_r(&et_list, msgs, count, base);
+    initialize_error_table_r(&_et_list, msgs, count, base);
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/com_err/com_right.h b/lib/com_err/com_right.h
index 8412f72cc..ba1c88868 100644
--- a/lib/com_err/com_right.h
+++ b/lib/com_err/com_right.h
@@ -45,11 +45,15 @@ struct error_table {
     char const * const * msgs;
     long base;
     int n_msgs;
-    struct error_table *next;
 };
+struct et_list {
+    struct et_list *next;
+    struct error_table *table;
+};
+extern struct et_list *_et_list;
 
-const char *com_right(struct error_table *list, long code);
-void initialize_error_table_r(struct error_table**, const char**, int, long);
-void free_error_table(struct error_table*);
+const char *com_right(struct et_list *list, long code);
+void initialize_error_table_r(struct et_list **, const char **, int, long);
+void free_error_table(struct et_list *);
 
 #endif /* __COM_RIGHT_H__ */
diff --git a/lib/com_err/compile_et.c b/lib/com_err/compile_et.c
index f82b5625f..f6a9afb12 100644
--- a/lib/com_err/compile_et.c
+++ b/lib/com_err/compile_et.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ generate_c(void)
     fprintf(c_file, "};\n");
     fprintf(c_file, "\n");
     fprintf(c_file, 
-	    "void initialize_%s_error_table_r(struct error_table **list)\n", 
+	    "void initialize_%s_error_table_r(struct et_list **list)\n", 
 	    name);
     fprintf(c_file, "{\n");
     fprintf(c_file, 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ generate_h(void)
     fprintf(h_file, "#include <com_right.h>\n");
     fprintf(h_file, "\n");
     fprintf(h_file, 
-	    "void initialize_%s_error_table_r(struct error_table**);\n",
+	    "void initialize_%s_error_table_r(struct et_list **);\n",
 	    name);
     fprintf(h_file, "\n");
     fprintf(h_file, "void initialize_%s_error_table(void);\n", name);
diff --git a/lib/com_err/error.c b/lib/com_err/error.c
index 337a3b87b..c616d1253 100644
--- a/lib/com_err/error.c
+++ b/lib/com_err/error.c
@@ -46,42 +46,50 @@ RCSID("$Id$");
 #include <com_right.h>
 
 const char *
-com_right(struct error_table *list, long code)
+com_right(struct et_list *list, long code)
 {
-    struct error_table *p;
-    for(p = list; p; p = p->next){
-	if(code >= p->base && code < p->base + p->n_msgs)
-	    return p->msgs[code - p->base];
+    struct et_list *p;
+    for (p = list; p; p = p->next) {
+	if (code >= p->table->base && code < p->table->base + p->table->n_msgs)
+	    return p->table->msgs[code - p->table->base];
     }
     return NULL;
 }
 
+struct foobar {
+    struct et_list etl;
+    struct error_table et;
+};
+
 void
-initialize_error_table_r(struct error_table **list, 
+initialize_error_table_r(struct et_list **list, 
 			 const char **messages, 
 			 int num_errors,
 			 long base)
 {
-    struct error_table *et;
-    for(et = *list; et; et = et->next)
-        if(et->msgs == messages)
+    struct et_list *et;
+    struct foobar *f;
+    for (et = *list; et; et = et->next)
+        if (et->table->msgs == messages)
             return;
-    et = malloc(sizeof(*et));
-    if (et == NULL)
+    f = malloc(sizeof(*f));
+    if (f == NULL)
         return;
-    et->msgs = messages;
-    et->n_msgs = num_errors;
-    et->base = base;
+    et = &f->etl;
+    et->table = &f->et;
+    et->table->msgs = messages;
+    et->table->n_msgs = num_errors;
+    et->table->base = base;
     et->next = *list;
     *list = et;
 }
 			
 
 void
-free_error_table(struct error_table *et)
+free_error_table(struct et_list *et)
 {
     while(et){
-	struct error_table *p = et;
+	struct et_list *p = et;
 	et = et->next;
 	free(p);
     }