diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/exampleApp/src/devXxxSoft.c b/src/makeBaseApp/top/exampleApp/src/devXxxSoft.c
index 98c1a3861..4d4aa8c21 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/exampleApp/src/devXxxSoft.c
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/exampleApp/src/devXxxSoft.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ static struct {
 	NULL,
 	read_xxx,
 };
+epicsShareExtern dset *pdevXxxSoft;
 epicsShareDef dset *pdevXxxSoft = (dset *)&devXxxSoft;