diff --git a/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.cc b/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.cc
index 099e927a5d5ea..cb0c341553925 100644
--- a/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.cc
+++ b/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.cc
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@ void InitProtobufDefaultsSlow() {
 PROTOBUF_ATTRIBUTE_INIT_PRIORITY1 static std::true_type init_empty_string =
     (InitProtobufDefaultsSlow(), std::true_type{});
 
+const std::string& GetEmptyString() {
+  InitProtobufDefaults();
+  return GetEmptyStringAlreadyInited();
+}
+
 template <typename T>
 const T& Get(const void* ptr) {
   return *static_cast<const T*>(ptr);
diff --git a/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.h b/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.h
index d73edc3be7421..989734e57f5d5 100644
--- a/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.h
+++ b/src/google/protobuf/generated_message_util.h
@@ -77,10 +77,7 @@ PROTOBUF_EXPORT inline void InitProtobufDefaults() {
 }
 
 // This used by proto1
-PROTOBUF_EXPORT inline const std::string& GetEmptyString() {
-  InitProtobufDefaults();
-  return GetEmptyStringAlreadyInited();
-}
+PROTOBUF_EXPORT const ::std::string& GetEmptyString();
 
 // Default empty Cord object. Don't use directly. Instead, call
 // GetEmptyCordAlreadyInited() to get the reference.