diff --git a/src/hb-common.cc b/src/hb-common.cc
index 9422555cf..27ecfa78a 100644
--- a/src/hb-common.cc
+++ b/src/hb-common.cc
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ struct hb_language_item_t {
 
 static hb_language_item_t *langs;
 
-static
+static inline
 void free_langs (void)
 {
   while (langs) {
diff --git a/src/hb-ft.cc b/src/hb-ft.cc
index 6198185e9..1e87c1cb3 100644
--- a/src/hb-ft.cc
+++ b/src/hb-ft.cc
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ hb_ft_font_create (FT_Face           ft_face,
 
 static FT_Library ft_library;
 
-static
+static inline
 void free_ft_library (void)
 {
   FT_Done_FreeType (ft_library);
diff --git a/src/hb-shape.cc b/src/hb-shape.cc
index 389ce3e34..7ae56e39f 100644
--- a/src/hb-shape.cc
+++ b/src/hb-shape.cc
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ hb_feature_to_string (hb_feature_t *feature,
 
 static const char **static_shaper_list;
 
-static
+static inline
 void free_static_shaper_list (void)
 {
   free (static_shaper_list);
diff --git a/src/hb-shaper.cc b/src/hb-shaper.cc
index 1c1aed903..44f718aa7 100644
--- a/src/hb-shaper.cc
+++ b/src/hb-shaper.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static const hb_shaper_pair_t all_shapers[] = {
 
 static const hb_shaper_pair_t *static_shapers;
 
-static
+static inline
 void free_static_shapers (void)
 {
   if (unlikely (static_shapers != all_shapers))