diff --git a/src/decode.c b/src/decode.c
index 6d7439f516..41165517e3 100644
--- a/src/decode.c
+++ b/src/decode.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 #include "output-flow.h"
 #include "flow-storage.h"
 
+uint32_t default_packet_size = 0;
 extern bool stats_decoder_events;
 const char *stats_decoder_events_prefix;
 extern bool stats_stream_events;
diff --git a/src/decode.h b/src/decode.h
index 338173df23..7c9b72586b 100644
--- a/src/decode.h
+++ b/src/decode.h
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ extern int g_default_mtu;
 #define DEFAULT_PACKET_SIZE (DEFAULT_MTU + ETHERNET_HEADER_LEN)
 /* storage: maximum ip packet size + link header */
 #define MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE (IPV6_HEADER_LEN + 65536 + 28)
-uint32_t default_packet_size;
+extern uint32_t default_packet_size;
 #define SIZE_OF_PACKET (default_packet_size + sizeof(Packet))
 
 /** \brief Structure to hold thread specific data for all decode modules */