diff --git a/ref-filter.c b/ref-filter.c
index 46963a5a4..e53c77e86 100644
--- a/ref-filter.c
+++ b/ref-filter.c
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ static struct {
 	{ "color" },
 };
 
+struct atom_value {
+	const char *s;
+	unsigned long ul; /* used for sorting when not FIELD_STR */
+};
+
 /*
  * An atom is a valid field atom listed above, possibly prefixed with
  * a "*" to denote deref_tag().
diff --git a/ref-filter.h b/ref-filter.h
index 6bf27d8bc..45026d04d 100644
--- a/ref-filter.h
+++ b/ref-filter.h
@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@
 #define FILTER_REFS_INCLUDE_BROKEN 0x1
 #define FILTER_REFS_ALL 0x2
 
-struct atom_value {
-	const char *s;
-	unsigned long ul; /* used for sorting when not FIELD_STR */
-};
+struct atom_value;
 
 struct ref_sorting {
 	struct ref_sorting *next;