diff --git a/server/include/gwdirs.h.in b/server/include/gwdirs.h.in
index 4d2e8266d..685c00017 100644
--- a/server/include/gwdirs.h.in
+++ b/server/include/gwdirs.h.in
@@ -23,12 +23,17 @@
 #endif
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <skygw_utils.h>
+
+EXTERN_C_BLOCK_BEGIN
+
 /** Default file locations, configured by CMake */
 static const char* default_cnf_fname = "maxscale.cnf";
 static const char* default_configdir = "/etc";
-static const char* default_piddir = "@MAXSCALE_VARDIR@/run/maxscale"; /*< This should be changed to just /run eventually, 
-                                                                        * the /var/run folder is an old standard and the newer FSH 3.0
-                                                                        * uses /run for PID files.*/
+ /*< This should be changed to just /run eventually,
+  * the /var/run folder is an old standard and the newer FSH 3.0
+  * uses /run for PID files.*/
+static const char* default_piddir = "@MAXSCALE_VARDIR@/run/maxscale";
 static const char* default_logdir = "@MAXSCALE_VARDIR@/log/maxscale";
 static const char* default_datadir = "@MAXSCALE_VARDIR@/lib/maxscale/data";
 static const char* default_libdir = "@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/@MAXSCALE_LIBDIR@";
@@ -57,4 +62,7 @@ char* get_configdir();
 char* get_piddir();
 char* get_logdir();
 char* get_langdir();
+
+EXTERN_C_BLOCK_END
+
 #endif