diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpio-sim.c b/drivers/gpio/gpio-sim.c
index 153fe79e1bf3e..bb9bb595c1a81 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpio-sim.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpio-sim.c
@@ -1322,7 +1322,7 @@ static void gpio_sim_hog_config_item_release(struct config_item *item)
 	kfree(hog);
 }
 
-struct configfs_item_operations gpio_sim_hog_config_item_ops = {
+static struct configfs_item_operations gpio_sim_hog_config_item_ops = {
 	.release	= gpio_sim_hog_config_item_release,
 };