diff --git a/src/util-spm.c b/src/util-spm.c
index e6fcf3dda7..17bc1139e0 100644
--- a/src/util-spm.c
+++ b/src/util-spm.c
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@
 #include "hs.h"
 #endif
 
+SpmTableElmt spm_table[SPM_TABLE_SIZE];
+
 /**
  * \brief Returns the single pattern matcher algorithm to be used, based on the
  * spm-algo setting in yaml.
diff --git a/src/util-spm.h b/src/util-spm.h
index 2f3b60fe7e..dbffb2bf30 100644
--- a/src/util-spm.h
+++ b/src/util-spm.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ typedef struct SpmTableElmt_ {
                      const uint8_t *haystack, uint32_t haystack_len);
 } SpmTableElmt;
 
-SpmTableElmt spm_table[SPM_TABLE_SIZE];
+extern SpmTableElmt spm_table[SPM_TABLE_SIZE];
 
 void SpmTableSetup(void);