diff --git a/include/xkbrules.h b/include/xkbrules.h
index 74473cb24..97887ec78 100644
--- a/include/xkbrules.h
+++ b/include/xkbrules.h
@@ -80,14 +80,6 @@ typedef struct _XkbRF_Rules {
 
 _XFUNCPROTOBEGIN
 
-/* Seems preferable to dragging xkbstr.h in. */
-    struct _XkbComponentNames;
-
-extern _X_EXPORT Bool XkbRF_GetComponents(XkbRF_RulesPtr /* rules */ ,
-                                          XkbRF_VarDefsPtr /* var_defs */ ,
-                                          struct _XkbComponentNames *   /* names */
-    );
-
 extern _X_EXPORT Bool XkbRF_LoadRules(FILE * /* file */ ,
                                       XkbRF_RulesPtr    /* rules */
     );
diff --git a/xkb/ddxLoad.c b/xkb/ddxLoad.c
index e147aabce..8001cb25d 100644
--- a/xkb/ddxLoad.c
+++ b/xkb/ddxLoad.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 #include "os/osdep.h"
 #include "xkb/xkbfile_priv.h"
 #include "xkb/xkbfmisc_priv.h"
+#include "xkb/xkbrules_priv.h"
 
 #include "inputstr.h"
 #include "scrnintstr.h"
diff --git a/xkb/maprules.c b/xkb/maprules.c
index 395b5bfab..83abe8076 100644
--- a/xkb/maprules.c
+++ b/xkb/maprules.c
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@
 #include <X11/Xfuncs.h>
 #include <X11/Xatom.h>
 #include <X11/keysym.h>
+
+#include "xkb/xkbrules_priv.h"
+
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "inputstr.h"
 #include "dix.h"
diff --git a/xkb/xkbrules_priv.h b/xkb/xkbrules_priv.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7e73ec7a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xkb/xkbrules_priv.h
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT OR X11
+ *
+ * Copyright © 2024 Enrico Weigelt, metux IT consult <info@metux.net>
+ */
+#ifndef _XSERVER_XKB_XKBRULES_PRIV_H
+#define _XSERVER_XKB_XKBRULES_PRIV_H
+
+#include <X11/Xdefs.h>
+
+#include "include/xkbrules.h"
+
+struct _XkbComponentNames;
+
+Bool XkbRF_GetComponents(XkbRF_RulesPtr rules,
+                         XkbRF_VarDefsPtr var_defs,
+                         struct _XkbComponentNames *names);
+
+#endif /* _XSERVER_XKB_XKBRULES_PRIV_H */