diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86.h b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86.h
index bdb73781d..653352e4d 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86.h
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86.h
@@ -248,6 +248,9 @@ extern _X_EXPORT void
 xf86DrvMsg(int scrnIndex, MessageType type, const char *format, ...)
 _X_ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(3, 4);
 extern _X_EXPORT void
+xf86MsgVerb(MessageType type, int verb, const char *format, ...)
+_X_ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(3, 4);
+extern _X_EXPORT void
 xf86Msg(MessageType type, const char *format, ...)
 _X_ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(2, 3);
 extern _X_EXPORT void
@@ -397,7 +400,4 @@ extern _X_EXPORT ScreenPtr xf86ScrnToScreen(ScrnInfoPtr pScrn);
 extern _X_EXPORT void
 xf86UpdateDesktopDimensions(void);
 
-/* only for backwards (source) compatibility */
-#define xf86MsgVerb LogMessageVerb
-
 #endif                          /* _XF86_H */
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Helper.c b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Helper.c
index 7aced73ef..3fd272082 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Helper.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86Helper.c
@@ -1095,6 +1095,17 @@ xf86IDrvMsg(InputInfoPtr dev, MessageType type, const char *format, ...)
     va_end(ap);
 }
 
+/* Print non-driver messages with verbose level specified directly */
+void
+xf86MsgVerb(MessageType type, int verb, const char *format, ...)
+{
+    va_list ap;
+
+    va_start(ap, format);
+    LogVMessageVerb(type, verb, format, ap);
+    va_end(ap);
+}
+
 /* Print non-driver messages with verbose level of 1 (default) */
 void
 xf86Msg(MessageType type, const char *format, ...)