diff --git a/src/ca/caerr.h b/src/ca/caerr.h
index 3c1af5ed2..f1619efad 100644
--- a/src/ca/caerr.h
+++ b/src/ca/caerr.h
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
 #ifndef CA_ERROR_GLBLSOURCE
 epicsShareExtern READONLY char  *ca_message_text[];
 #else
-READONLY char   *ca_message_text[]
+epicsShareDef READONLY char   *ca_message_text[]
 =
 {
 "Normal successful completion",