diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.h b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.h
index 23ffd7d09..70e422405 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.h
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.h
@@ -41,7 +41,12 @@ extern "C" {
 /**
  * event subscription
  */
-typedef struct evSubscrip {
+struct evSubscrip;
+
+typedef struct evSubscrip evSubscrip;
+
+#ifdef EPICS_PRIVATE_API
+struct evSubscrip {
     ELLNODE             node;
     struct dbChannel  * chan;
     EVENTFUNC         * user_sub;
@@ -54,7 +59,8 @@ typedef struct evSubscrip {
     char                useValque;
     char                callBackInProgress;
     char                enabled;
-} evSubscrip;
+};
+#endif
 
 typedef struct chFilter chFilter;
 
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbEvent.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbEvent.c
index 653ea411c..3016630fb 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbEvent.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbEvent.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  *          Ralph Lange <Ralph.Lange@bessy.de>
  */
 
+#define EPICS_PRIVATE_API
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
diff --git a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutGetTest.c b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutGetTest.c
index 8f539407d..3a5155661 100644
--- a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutGetTest.c
+++ b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbPutGetTest.c
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 * in file LICENSE that is included with this distribution.
  \*************************************************************************/
 
+#define EPICS_PRIVATE_API
+
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include <errlog.h>