diff --git a/src/nc_core.c b/src/nc_core.c
index 47892b44..0211f6a1 100644
--- a/src/nc_core.c
+++ b/src/nc_core.c
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 
 static uint32_t ctx_id; /* context generation */
 
+/* function prototype for use in core_ctx_create() */
+static void
+core_core(void *arg, uint32_t evflags);
+
 static struct context *
 core_ctx_create(struct instance *nci)
 {
diff --git a/src/nc_core.h b/src/nc_core.h
index 6058ea28..17693e48 100644
--- a/src/nc_core.h
+++ b/src/nc_core.h
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ struct instance {
 struct context *core_start(struct instance *nci);
 void core_stop(struct context *ctx);
 rstatus_t core_loop(struct context *ctx);
-static void core_core(void *arg, uint32_t evflags);
 
 
 #endif