diff --git a/Modules/socketmodule.c b/Modules/socketmodule.c
index a8560d6a6ab..2f954a9ce39 100644
--- a/Modules/socketmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/socketmodule.c
@@ -251,6 +251,11 @@ static PyObject *PyGAI_Error;
 static int taskwindow;
 #endif
 
+/* A forward reference to the socket type object.
+   The PySocketSock_Type variable contains pointers to various functions,
+   some of which call PySocketSock_New(), which uses PySocketSock_Type, so
+   there has to be a circular reference. */
+staticforward PyTypeObject PySocketSock_Type;
 
 /* Convenience function to raise an error according to errno
    and return a NULL pointer from a function. */
diff --git a/Modules/socketmodule.h b/Modules/socketmodule.h
index a1a212262a4..ef4ba38e275 100644
--- a/Modules/socketmodule.h
+++ b/Modules/socketmodule.h
@@ -75,13 +75,6 @@ typedef struct {
 					    sets a Python exception */
 } PySocketSockObject;
 
-/* A forward reference to the Socktype type object.
-   The Socktype variable contains pointers to various functions,
-   some of which call newsockobject(), which uses Socktype, so
-   there has to be a circular reference. */
-
-extern DL_IMPORT(PyTypeObject) PySocketSock_Type;
-
 /* --- C API ----------------------------------------------------*/
 
 /* C API for usage by other Python modules */