diff --git a/Modules/_queuemodule.c b/Modules/_queuemodule.c
index 8715337fb51..0eb99302745 100644
--- a/Modules/_queuemodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_queuemodule.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class _queue.SimpleQueue "simplequeueobject *" "&PySimpleQueueType"
 [clinic start generated code]*/
 /*[clinic end generated code: output=da39a3ee5e6b4b0d input=cf49af81bcbbbea6]*/
 
-extern PyTypeObject PySimpleQueueType;  /* forward decl */
+static PyTypeObject PySimpleQueueType;  /* forward decl */
 
 static PyObject *EmptyError;
 
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ static PyMethodDef simplequeue_methods[] = {
 };
 
 
-PyTypeObject PySimpleQueueType = {
+static PyTypeObject PySimpleQueueType = {
     PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL, 0)
     "_queue.SimpleQueue",               /*tp_name*/
     sizeof(simplequeueobject),          /*tp_size*/