diff --git a/src/db/db_access.h b/src/db/db_access.h
index 3dd562ef3..9f630b947 100644
--- a/src/db/db_access.h
+++ b/src/db/db_access.h
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ of this distribution.
 #include "tsStamp.h"
 #include "ellLib.h"
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
 
 #define MAX_UNITS_SIZE		8	
 #define MAX_ENUM_STRING_SIZE	26
@@ -1093,4 +1096,8 @@ union db_access_val{
     epicsShareDef READONLY short   dbr_text_dim = (sizeof dbr_text)/(sizeof (char *)) + 1;
 #endif
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
 #endif /* INCLdb_accessh */