diff --git a/maxutils/maxbase/include/maxbase/string.h b/maxutils/maxbase/include/maxbase/string.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..efa65cc4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maxutils/maxbase/include/maxbase/string.h
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#pragma once
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 MariaDB Corporation Ab
+ *
+ * Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License included
+ * in the LICENSE.TXT file and at www.mariadb.com/bsl11.
+ *
+ * Change Date: 2022-01-01
+ *
+ * On the date above, in accordance with the Business Source License, use
+ * of this software will be governed by version 2 or later of the General
+ * Public License.
+ */
+
+#include <maxbase/cdefs.h>
+
+/**
+ * Thread-safe strerror
+ */
+const char* mxb_strerror(int error);
diff --git a/maxutils/maxbase/src/CMakeLists.txt b/maxutils/maxbase/src/CMakeLists.txt
index f85b7c2ce..be1f59835 100644
--- a/maxutils/maxbase/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/maxutils/maxbase/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ add_library(maxbase STATIC
   eventcount.cc
   logger.cc
   stopwatch.cc
+  string.cc
   stacktrace.cc
   )
 set_target_properties(maxbase PROPERTIES VERSION "1.0.0" LINK_FLAGS -Wl,-z,defs)
diff --git a/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc b/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc
index 4d74eea66..d784f0a80 100644
--- a/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc
+++ b/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <ctime>
 
-#include <maxbase/error.h>
+#include <maxbase/string.h>
 
 // TODO: move <maxscale/debug.h> into maxbase
 #define ss_dassert(a)
diff --git a/maxutils/maxbase/include/maxbase/error.h b/maxutils/maxbase/src/string.cc
similarity index 78%
rename from maxutils/maxbase/include/maxbase/error.h
rename to maxutils/maxbase/src/string.cc
index 8172935e6..673582f95 100644
--- a/maxutils/maxbase/include/maxbase/error.h
+++ b/maxutils/maxbase/src/string.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#pragma once
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2016 MariaDB Corporation Ab
  *
@@ -12,14 +11,19 @@
  * Public License.
  */
 
-#include <maxbase/cdefs.h>
+#include <maxbase/string.h>
 
 #include <string.h>
 
-inline const char* mxb_strerror(int error)
+namespace
+{
+
+thread_local char errbuf[512]; // Enough for all errors
+
+}
+
+const char* mxb_strerror(int error)
 {
-    // Enough for all errors
-    static thread_local char errbuf[512];
 #ifdef HAVE_GLIBC
     return strerror_r(error, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf));
 #else
diff --git a/server/core/log_manager.cc b/server/core/log_manager.cc
index ed4bcc7bd..6253b12ff 100644
--- a/server/core/log_manager.cc
+++ b/server/core/log_manager.cc
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include <mutex>
 
 #include <maxbase/atomic.h>
-#include <maxbase/error.h>
+#include <maxbase/string.h>
 #include <maxbase/logger.hh>
 
 #include <maxscale/alloc.h>