diff --git a/src/tools/dbdToHtml.pl b/src/tools/dbdToHtml.pl
index 2c0417cbb..d9809a441 100644
--- a/src/tools/dbdToHtml.pl
+++ b/src/tools/dbdToHtml.pl
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ BEGIN {
 
 my $tool = 'dbdToHtml';
 
-use vars qw($opt_D @opt_I $opt_o);
+our ($opt_D, @opt_I, $opt_o);
 getopts('DI@o:') or
     die "Usage: $tool [-D] [-I dir] [-o file.html] file.dbd.pod\n";
 
diff --git a/src/tools/dbdToMenuH.pl b/src/tools/dbdToMenuH.pl
index eaa236902..3e0268b9d 100644
--- a/src/tools/dbdToMenuH.pl
+++ b/src/tools/dbdToMenuH.pl
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use EPICS::Readfile;
 
 my $tool = 'dbdToMenuH.pl';
 
-use vars qw($opt_D @opt_I $opt_o $opt_s);
+our ($opt_D, @opt_I, $opt_o, $opt_s);
 getopts('DI@o:') or
     die "Usage: $tool: [-D] [-I dir] [-o menu.h] menu.dbd [menu.h]\n";
 
diff --git a/src/tools/dbdToRecordtypeH.pl b/src/tools/dbdToRecordtypeH.pl
index ccf6b21b2..6154d3acf 100644
--- a/src/tools/dbdToRecordtypeH.pl
+++ b/src/tools/dbdToRecordtypeH.pl
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use EPICS::Readfile;
 
 my $tool = 'dbdToRecordtypeH.pl';
 
-use vars qw($opt_D @opt_I $opt_o $opt_s);
+our ($opt_D, @opt_I, $opt_o, $opt_s);
 getopts('DI@o:s') or
     die "Usage: $tool [-D] [-I dir] [-o xRecord.h] xRecord.dbd [xRecord.h]\n";