diff --git a/include/compat.h b/include/compat.h
index 8b3186bf..9d0085ff 100644
--- a/include/compat.h
+++ b/include/compat.h
@@ -3,21 +3,22 @@
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
+#include "xbps_api_impl.h"
 
 #ifndef HAVE_STRLCAT
-size_t strlcat(char *, const char *, size_t);
+size_t HIDDEN strlcat(char *, const char *, size_t);
 #endif
 
 #ifndef HAVE_STRLCPY
-size_t strlcpy(char *, const char *, size_t);
+size_t HIDDEN strlcpy(char *, const char *, size_t);
 #endif
 
 #ifndef HAVE_STRCASESTR
-char *strcasestr(const char *, const char *);
+char HIDDEN *strcasestr(const char *, const char *);
 #endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_VASPRINTF) && !defined(_GNU_SOURCE)
-int vasprintf(char **, const char *, va_list);
+int HIDDEN vasprintf(char **, const char *, va_list);
 #endif
 
 #endif /* COMPAT_H */
diff --git a/include/xbps_api_impl.h b/include/xbps_api_impl.h
index 62a50a36..01441913 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api_impl.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api_impl.h
@@ -29,6 +29,17 @@
 
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <xbps_api.h>
+/*
+ * By default all public functions have default visibility, unless
+ * visibility has been detected by configure and the HIDDEN definition
+ * is used.
+ */
+#if HAVE_VISIBILITY
+#define HIDDEN __attribute__ ((visibility("hidden")))
+#else
+#define HIDDEN
+#endif
+
 #include "compat.h"
 #include "queue.h"
 #include "fetch.h"
@@ -45,17 +56,6 @@
 #define __UNCONST(a)	((void *)(unsigned long)(const void *)(a))
 #endif
 
-/*
- * By default all public functions have default visibility, unless
- * visibility has been detected by configure and the HIDDEN definition
- * is used.
- */
-#if HAVE_VISIBILITY
-#define HIDDEN __attribute__ ((visibility("hidden")))
-#else
-#define HIDDEN
-#endif
-
 __BEGIN_DECLS
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/compat/strcasestr.c b/lib/compat/strcasestr.c
index 6a662cc8..e7861c27 100644
--- a/lib/compat/strcasestr.c
+++ b/lib/compat/strcasestr.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 /*
  * Find the first occurrence of find in s, ignore case.
  */
-char *
+char HIDDEN *
 strcasestr(const char *s, const char *find)
 {
 	char c, sc;
diff --git a/lib/compat/strlcat.c b/lib/compat/strlcat.c
index 836e3929..ff273114 100644
--- a/lib/compat/strlcat.c
+++ b/lib/compat/strlcat.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
  * Returns strlen(src) + MIN(siz, strlen(initial dst)).
  * If retval >= siz, truncation occurred.
  */
-size_t
+size_t HIDDEN
 strlcat(char *dst, const char *src, size_t siz)
 {
 	char *d = dst;
diff --git a/lib/compat/strlcpy.c b/lib/compat/strlcpy.c
index b87eb8d4..0915199a 100644
--- a/lib/compat/strlcpy.c
+++ b/lib/compat/strlcpy.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
  * will be copied.  Always NUL terminates (unless siz == 0).
  * Returns strlen(src); if retval >= siz, truncation occurred.
  */
-size_t
+size_t HIDDEN
 strlcpy(char *dst, const char *src, size_t siz)
 {
 	char *d = dst;
diff --git a/lib/compat/vasprintf.c b/lib/compat/vasprintf.c
index a9bf0df6..d73892e0 100644
--- a/lib/compat/vasprintf.c
+++ b/lib/compat/vasprintf.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
-int
+int HIDDEN
 vasprintf(char **ret, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
 {
 	char *buf, *new_buf;