diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h b/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h
index 771d2f5ea04..b39eefa7959 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qobject.h
@@ -444,8 +444,7 @@ protected:
     QScopedPointer<QObjectData> d_ptr;
 
     static const QMetaObject staticQtMetaObject;
-    friend inline const QMetaObject *qt_getQtMetaObject() Q_DECL_NOEXCEPT
-    { return &staticQtMetaObject; }
+    friend inline const QMetaObject *qt_getQtMetaObject() Q_DECL_NOEXCEPT;
 
     friend struct QMetaObject;
     friend struct QMetaObjectPrivate;
@@ -476,6 +475,9 @@ inline QMetaObject::Connection QObject::connect(const QObject *asender, const ch
                                             const char *amember, Qt::ConnectionType atype) const
 { return connect(asender, asignal, this, amember, atype); }
 
+inline const QMetaObject *qt_getQtMetaObject() Q_DECL_NOEXCEPT
+{ return &QObject::staticQtMetaObject; }
+
 #ifndef QT_NO_USERDATA
 class Q_CORE_EXPORT QObjectUserData {
 public: