diff --git a/packages/vms/curlmsg_vms.h b/packages/vms/curlmsg_vms.h
index 6857835d4..1cc712d26 100644
--- a/packages/vms/curlmsg_vms.h
+++ b/packages/vms/curlmsg_vms.h
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-/* $Id$                                                                     */
+/* $Id$ */
+/*                                                                          */
 /* CURLMSG_VMS.H                                                            */
+/*                                                                          */
 /* This defines the necessary bits to change CURLE_* error codes to VMS     */
 /* style error codes.  CURLMSG.H is built from CURLMSG.SDL which is built   */
 /* from CURLMSG.MSG.  The vms_cond array is used to return VMS errors by    */
@@ -7,23 +9,24 @@
 /*                                                                          */
 /* If you update CURLMSG.MSG make sure to update this file to match.        */
 /*                                                                          */
+
 #include "curlmsg.h"
-int       vms_show = 0;
+
 /*
 #define   FAC_CURL      0xC01
 #define   FAC_SYSTEM    0
 #define   MSG_NORMAL    0
 */
-#define   VMS_STS(c,f,e,s) (((c&0xF)<<28)|((f&0xFFF)<<16)|((e&0x1FFF)<3)|(s&7))
-#define   VMSSTS_HIDE   VMS_STS(1,0,0,0)
+
 /*
 #define   SEV_WARNING   0
 #define   SEV_SUCCESS   1
 #define   SEV_ERROR     2
-#define   SEV_INFO      3   
+#define   SEV_INFO      3
 #define   SEV_FATAL     4
 */
-long vms_cond[] = 
+
+static const long vms_cond[] =
         {
         CURL_OK,
 	CURL_UNSUPPORTED_PROTOCOL,
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index a3665fc86..46cdb4eb2 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -114,10 +114,6 @@
 #include <netinet/tcp.h> /* for TCP_KEEPIDLE, TCP_KEEPINTVL */
 #endif
 
-#ifdef __VMS
-#  include "curlmsg_vms.h"
-#endif
-
 #include "os-specific.h"
 
 /* The last #include file should be: */
@@ -131,6 +127,10 @@
 #include "memdebug.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef __VMS
+static int vms_show = 0;
+#endif
+
 #if defined(NETWARE)
 #define PRINT_LINES_PAUSE 23
 #endif
diff --git a/src/os-specific.c b/src/os-specific.c
index 457368d8d..1fddbaeb7 100644
--- a/src/os-specific.c
+++ b/src/os-specific.c
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@
 
 #include <curl/curl.h>
 
-#ifdef __VMS
-#  include "curlmsg_vms.h"
-#endif
-
 #define ENABLE_CURLX_PRINTF
 #include "curlx.h"
 
@@ -39,7 +35,12 @@
 
 #ifdef __VMS
 
-int vms_shell = -1;
+#include "curlmsg_vms.h"
+
+void decc$__posix_exit(int __status);
+void decc$exit(int __status);
+
+static int vms_shell = -1;
 
 /* VMS has a DCL shell and and also has Unix shells ported to it.
  * When curl is running under a Unix shell, we want it to be as much
diff --git a/src/os-specific.h b/src/os-specific.h
index 96f91cb76..535bb952c 100644
--- a/src/os-specific.h
+++ b/src/os-specific.h
@@ -25,17 +25,15 @@
 
 #ifdef __VMS
 
-extern int vms_shell;
-
-void decc$__posix_exit(int __status);
-void decc$exit(int __status);
-
 int is_vms_shell(void);
 void vms_special_exit(int code, int vms_show);
 
 #undef exit
 #define exit(__code) vms_special_exit((__code), (0))
 
+#define  VMS_STS(c,f,e,s) (((c&0xF)<<28)|((f&0xFFF)<<16)|((e&0x1FFF)<3)|(s&7))
+#define  VMSSTS_HIDE  VMS_STS(1,0,0,0)
+
 #endif /* __VMS */
 
 #endif /* HEADER_CURL_OS_SPECIFIC_H */