diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index da5c15c4f9..c6008c395a 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -2231,7 +2231,7 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_socket(QemuOpts *opts)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static QemuOpts *qemu_chr_parse_compat(const char *label, const char *filename)
+QemuOpts *qemu_chr_parse_compat(const char *label, const char *filename)
 {
     char host[65], port[33], width[8], height[8];
     int pos;
diff --git a/qemu-char.h b/qemu-char.h
index 9957db1f58..7fa8e5cc15 100644
--- a/qemu-char.h
+++ b/qemu-char.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ struct CharDriverState {
     QTAILQ_ENTRY(CharDriverState) next;
 };
 
+QemuOpts *qemu_chr_parse_compat(const char *label, const char *filename);
 CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
                                     void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s));
 CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open(const char *label, const char *filename, void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s));