diff --git a/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/ChangeLog b/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/ChangeLog
index 86bb7b789f..3e75122b9e 100644
--- a/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/ChangeLog
+++ b/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2009-12-01	Till Straumann <strauman@slac.stanford.edu>
+
+	* shared/vme/vme_universe.c: moved extern declaration
+	out of local scope.
+
 2009-12-01	Till Straumann <strauman@slac.stanford.edu>
 
 	* shared/startup/panic.c: Fixed compiler warning.
diff --git a/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/shared/vme/vme_universe.c b/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/shared/vme/vme_universe.c
index 591e676598..09e9aa838a 100644
--- a/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/shared/vme/vme_universe.c
+++ b/c/src/lib/libbsp/powerpc/shared/vme/vme_universe.c
@@ -373,6 +373,8 @@ unsigned short	rval;
 #define VME_CLEAR_BRIDGE_ERRORS tsi_clear_errors
 #endif
 
+extern unsigned short (*_BSP_clear_vmebridge_errors)(int);
+
 int BSP_VMEInit(void)
 {
 #if defined(_VME_DRIVER_UNIVERSE)
@@ -392,7 +394,6 @@ int BSP_VMEInit(void)
 	vmeTsi148Reset();
 #ifdef VME_CLEAR_BRIDGE_ERRORS
 	{
-	extern unsigned short (*_BSP_clear_vmebridge_errors)(void);
 
 	  _BSP_clear_vmebridge_errors = VME_CLEAR_BRIDGE_ERRORS;