diff --git a/src/core/common.h b/src/core/common.h
index 3ea37071..920b7108 100644
--- a/src/core/common.h
+++ b/src/core/common.h
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ _TWEEKCLASS(CTweakFloat, float);
 #undef _TWEEKCLASS
 
 #ifdef VALIDATE_SAVE_SIZE
-static int32 _bufBytesRead;
+extern int32 _bufBytesRead;
 #define INITSAVEBUF _bufBytesRead = 0;
 #define VALIDATESAVEBUF(b) assert(_bufBytesRead == b);
 #else
diff --git a/src/core/re3.cpp b/src/core/re3.cpp
index b9b5c76e..c8b50d55 100644
--- a/src/core/re3.cpp
+++ b/src/core/re3.cpp
@@ -447,6 +447,10 @@ void re3_trace(const char *filename, unsigned int lineno, const char *func, cons
 	OutputDebugStringA(buff);
 }
 
+#ifdef VALIDATE_SAVE_SIZE
+int32 _bufBytesRead;
+#endif
+
 void
 patch()
 {