diff --git a/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimerPrivate.h b/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimerPrivate.h
index ae480edc6..a3aa35db6 100644
--- a/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimerPrivate.h
+++ b/src/libCom/timer/epicsTimerPrivate.h
@@ -147,6 +147,20 @@ inline void timer::operator delete ( void *pCadaver, size_t size )
     timer::freeList.release ( pCadaver, size );
 }
 
+inline double timer::privateDelayToFirstExpire () const
+{
+    if ( this->curState == statePending ) {
+        double delay = this->exp - epicsTime::getCurrent ();
+        if ( delay < 0.0 ) {
+            delay = 0.0;
+        }
+        return delay;
+    }
+    else {
+        return -DBL_MAX;
+    }
+}
+
 inline void * timerQueueThreaded::operator new ( size_t size )
 {
     return timerQueueThreaded::freeList.allocate ( size );
diff --git a/src/libCom/timer/timer.cpp b/src/libCom/timer/timer.cpp
index f64afd086..7149d1f00 100644
--- a/src/libCom/timer/timer.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/timer/timer.cpp
@@ -46,20 +46,6 @@ timer::~timer()
     this->cancel ();
 }
 
-inline double timer::privateDelayToFirstExpire () const
-{
-    if ( this->curState == statePending ) {
-        double delay = this->exp - epicsTime::getCurrent ();
-        if ( delay < 0.0 ) {
-            delay = 0.0;
-        }
-        return delay;
-    }
-    else {
-        return -DBL_MAX;
-    }
-}
-
 void timer::start ( double delaySeconds )
 {
     this->start ( epicsTime::getCurrent () + delaySeconds );