diff --git a/src/tool_main.c b/src/tool_main.c
index 95e9cc7794..4b8817a2e0 100644
--- a/src/tool_main.c
+++ b/src/tool_main.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
  * Its value may be set in other tool_*.c source files thanks to
  * forward declaration present in tool_vms.h
  */
-static int vms_show = 0;
+extern int vms_show = 0;
 #endif
 
 /*