diff --git a/ghc/compiler/deSugar/DsForeign.lhs b/ghc/compiler/deSugar/DsForeign.lhs
index be886a470549ce6c2bad1d959f1f599062b47d77..52b177b4708aeb65a1c7c241e980e807ba4ea354 100644
--- a/ghc/compiler/deSugar/DsForeign.lhs
+++ b/ghc/compiler/deSugar/DsForeign.lhs
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ fexportEntry c_nm helper args res cc =
 
   startTemplate =
     vcat 
-      [ text "extern realWorldZh_closure;"
+      [ text "extern void* realWorldZh_closure;"
       , ptext SLIT("STGFUN") <> parens (h_stub_nm)
       , lbrace
       ,  ptext SLIT("FUNBEGIN;")