diff --git a/kmod/src/ioctl.h b/kmod/src/ioctl.h
index 2c980455..e9a78db0 100644
--- a/kmod/src/ioctl.h
+++ b/kmod/src/ioctl.h
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef _SCOUTFS_IOCTL_H_
 #define _SCOUTFS_IOCTL_H_
 
-long scoutfs_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd, unsigned long arg);
-
 /* XXX I have no idea how these are chosen. */
 #define SCOUTFS_IOCTL_MAGIC 's'
 
diff --git a/kmod/src/super.h b/kmod/src/super.h
index 89a843f9..e09ac9d5 100644
--- a/kmod/src/super.h
+++ b/kmod/src/super.h
@@ -77,4 +77,7 @@ int scoutfs_read_supers(struct super_block *sb,
 void scoutfs_advance_dirty_super(struct super_block *sb);
 int scoutfs_write_dirty_super(struct super_block *sb);
 
+/* to keep this out of the ioctl.h public interface definition */
+long scoutfs_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd, unsigned long arg);
+
 #endif