diff --git a/client.cpp b/client.cpp
index 1b4921406f..010c38d4c3 100644
--- a/client.cpp
+++ b/client.cpp
@@ -79,10 +79,15 @@ private:
 
 };
 
-using namespace KWinInternal;
+// put all externs before the namespace statement to allow the linker
+// to resolve them properly
 
 extern Atom qt_wm_state;
 extern Time kwin_time;
+extern Atom qt_window_role;
+extern Atom qt_sm_client_id;
+
+using namespace KWinInternal;
 
 static bool resizeHorizontalDirectionFixed = FALSE;
 static bool resizeVerticalDirectionFixed = FALSE;
@@ -2590,7 +2595,6 @@ void Client::keyPressEvent( QKeyEvent * e )
 
 QCString Client::windowRole()
 {
-    extern Atom qt_window_role;
     Atom type;
     int format;
     unsigned long length, after;
@@ -2608,7 +2612,6 @@ QCString Client::windowRole()
 
 QCString Client::sessionId()
 {
-    extern Atom qt_sm_client_id;
     Atom type;
     int format;
     unsigned long length, after;
diff --git a/tabbox.cpp b/tabbox.cpp
index 7c5a252c35..8b32d0cbd2 100644
--- a/tabbox.cpp
+++ b/tabbox.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ Copyright (C) 1999, 2000 Matthias Ettrich <ettrich@kde.org>
 #include <kconfig.h>
 #include <klocale.h>
 
+// specify externals before namespace
+
+extern QPixmap* kwin_get_menu_pix_hack();
+
 using namespace KWinInternal;
 
 const bool options_traverse_all = FALSE; // TODO
@@ -204,7 +208,6 @@ void TabBox::paintEvent( QPaintEvent* )
  */
 void TabBox::paintContents()
 {
-    extern QPixmap* kwin_get_menu_pix_hack();
     QPixmap* menu_pix = kwin_get_menu_pix_hack();
     QPainter p( this );
     QRect r( 6, 6, width()-12, height()-32 );