diff --git a/src/corelib/compat/removed_api.cpp b/src/corelib/compat/removed_api.cpp
index d670bad4074..231b03c3172 100644
--- a/src/corelib/compat/removed_api.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/compat/removed_api.cpp
@@ -133,6 +133,14 @@ QByteArray QtPrivate::QByteArrayList_join(const QByteArrayList *that, const char
 }
 # endif
 
+#include "qoperatingsystemversion.h"
+
+int QOperatingSystemVersion::compare(const QOperatingSystemVersion &v1,
+                                     const QOperatingSystemVersion &v2)
+{
+    return QOperatingSystemVersionBase::compare(v1, v2);
+}
+
 #endif // QT_REMOVED_SINCE(6, 3)
 
 #if QT_REMOVED_SINCE(6, 4)
diff --git a/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.cpp b/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.cpp
index 2255b08f68f..084fd2b12f6 100644
--- a/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.cpp
@@ -253,12 +253,6 @@ int QOperatingSystemVersionBase::compare(QOperatingSystemVersionBase v1,
     return compareVersionComponents(v1.m_major, v2.m_major);
 }
 
-int QOperatingSystemVersion::compare(const QOperatingSystemVersion &v1,
-                                     const QOperatingSystemVersion &v2)
-{
-    return QOperatingSystemVersionBase::compare(v1, v2);
-}
-
 /*!
     \fn QVersionNumber QOperatingSystemVersion::version() const
 
diff --git a/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.h b/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.h
index 2ab08a5427f..e48c499ab9a 100644
--- a/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.h
+++ b/src/corelib/global/qoperatingsystemversion.h
@@ -265,9 +265,11 @@ public:
 private:
     QOperatingSystemVersion() = default;
 
+#if QT_REMOVED_SINCE(6, 3)
     // ### Qt 7: Remove. It's only here for backwards compat with previous inline calls.
     [[maybe_unused]] static int compare(const QOperatingSystemVersion &v1,
                                         const QOperatingSystemVersion &v2);
+#endif
 };
 Q_DECLARE_TYPEINFO(QOperatingSystemVersion, Q_PRIMITIVE_TYPE);