diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/base/base.h b/ompi/mca/mtl/base/base.h
index b779bf3fb9..f7769f926b 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/base/base.h
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/base/base.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+OMPI_DECLSPEC mca_mtl_base_component_t* ompi_mtl_base_selected_component;
+    
 OMPI_DECLSPEC int ompi_mtl_base_open(void);
 OMPI_DECLSPEC int ompi_mtl_base_select(bool enable_progress_threads,
                                        bool enable_mpi_threads);
diff --git a/ompi/mca/pml/cm/pml_cm_component.c b/ompi/mca/pml/cm/pml_cm_component.c
index 4208d1fe47..c9b3b51a8e 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/pml/cm/pml_cm_component.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/pml/cm/pml_cm_component.c
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ static int mca_pml_cm_component_close(void);
 static mca_pml_base_module_t* mca_pml_cm_component_init( int* priority,
                             bool enable_progress_threads, bool enable_mpi_threads);
 static int mca_pml_cm_component_fini(void);
-extern mca_mtl_base_component_t* ompi_mtl_base_selected_component;
 
 mca_pml_base_component_1_0_0_t mca_pml_cm_component = {