diff --git a/lib/gis/G.h b/lib/gis/G.h
index 0cbfb5dbaaa..d2e31051797 100644
--- a/lib/gis/G.h
+++ b/lib/gis/G.h
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 #include <grass/config.h>
 #include <grass/gis.h>
 
+#ifdef GRASS_CMAKE_BUILD
+#include <export/grass_gis_export.h>
+#else
+#define GRASS_GIS_EXPORT
+#endif
+
 struct G__ /*  Structure of library globals */
 {
     struct Cell_head window; /* Contains the current window          */
@@ -9,4 +15,4 @@ struct G__ /*  Structure of library globals */
     int compression_level;   /* zlib compression level               */
 };
 
-extern struct G__ G__; /* allocated in gisinit */
+GRASS_GIS_EXPORT extern struct G__ G__; /* allocated in gisinit */
diff --git a/lib/gis/gisinit.c b/lib/gis/gisinit.c
index 9ae04ac2f56..6cec20b7150 100644
--- a/lib/gis/gisinit.c
+++ b/lib/gis/gisinit.c
@@ -26,12 +26,15 @@
 #include "G.h"
 #include "gis_local_proto.h"
 
+#if 0
 #ifdef GRASS_CMAKE_BUILD
 #include <export/grass_gis_export.h>
 #else
 #define GRASS_GIS_EXPORT
 #endif
-struct G__ G__;
+#endif
+
+GRASS_GIS_EXPORT struct G__ G__;
 
 /** initialized is set to 1 when engine is initialized */
 /* GRASS_GIS_EXPORT static int initialized on windows msvc throws below error.