diff --git a/ares/ares_getopt.c b/ares/ares_getopt.c
index 59f3b8834..b3cbb012d 100644
--- a/ares/ares_getopt.c
+++ b/ares/ares_getopt.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 
 int   opterr = 1,     /* if error message should be printed */
       optind = 1;     /* index into parent argv vector */
-static int optopt;    /* character checked for validity */
+int   optopt = 0;     /* character checked for validity */
 static int optreset;  /* reset getopt */
 char  *optarg;        /* argument associated with option */
 
diff --git a/ares/ares_getopt.h b/ares/ares_getopt.h
index e0eb28323..3c8074930 100644
--- a/ares/ares_getopt.h
+++ b/ares/ares_getopt.h
@@ -33,15 +33,15 @@
 
 int ares_getopt(int nargc, char * const nargv[], const char *ostr);
 
-#if defined(WATT32)
-#undef optarg
-#undef optind
-#undef opterr
-#endif
+#define optarg   ares_optarg
+#define optind   ares_optind
+#define opterr   ares_opterr
+#define optopt   ares_optopt
+#define optreset ares_optreset
 
 extern char *optarg;
 extern int optind;
 extern int opterr;
-
+extern int optopt;
 
 #endif /* ARES_GETOPT_H */