diff --git a/cpukit/rtems/include/rtems.h b/cpukit/rtems/include/rtems.h
index 43831b3d38..af05ee6176 100644
--- a/cpukit/rtems/include/rtems.h
+++ b/cpukit/rtems/include/rtems.h
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@
  */
 /**@{*/
 
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-extern "C" {
-#endif
-
 #include <rtems/system.h>
 #include <rtems/rtems/status.h>
 #include <rtems/rtems/types.h>
@@ -64,6 +60,10 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #include <rtems/rtems/support.h>
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
 /**
  * @brief Returns the pointer to the RTEMS version string.
  */