diff --git a/libguile/init.c b/libguile/init.c
index ee8a060e3..c561adf3b 100644
--- a/libguile/init.c
+++ b/libguile/init.c
@@ -171,7 +171,9 @@ start_stack (void *base)
 
   scm_exitval = SCM_BOOL_F;	/* vestigial */
 
+#if SCM_DEBUG_DEPRECATED == 0
   scm_top_level_lookup_closure_var = SCM_BOOL_F;
+#endif
   scm_system_transformer = SCM_BOOL_F;
 
   scm_root->fluids = scm_make_initial_fluids ();
diff --git a/libguile/symbols.h b/libguile/symbols.h
index c35572f73..05e8c2c96 100644
--- a/libguile/symbols.h
+++ b/libguile/symbols.h
@@ -147,8 +147,6 @@ extern SCM scm_builtin_weak_bindings (void);
 extern SCM scm_gensym (SCM name, SCM obarray);
 extern void scm_init_symbols (void);
 
-extern int scm_can_use_top_level_lookup_closure_var;
-
 #endif  /* SYMBOLSH */
 
 /*