diff --git a/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.cc b/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.cc
index 123b142d..329b475c 100644
--- a/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.cc
+++ b/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.cc
@@ -400,6 +400,10 @@ void SetProto3PreserveUnknownsDefault(bool preserve) {
   proto3_preserve_unknown_ = preserve;
 }
 
+const ::std::string& GetEmptyString() {
+  ::google::protobuf::GoogleOnceInit(&empty_string_once_init_, &InitEmptyString);
+  return GetEmptyStringAlreadyInited();
+}
 
 }  // namespace internal
 
diff --git a/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.h b/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.h
index 4cbec330..e9dda7e7 100644
--- a/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.h
+++ b/src/google/protobuf/message_lite.h
@@ -137,10 +137,7 @@ LIBPROTOBUF_EXPORT inline const ::std::string& GetEmptyStringAlreadyInited() {
   return fixed_address_empty_string.get();
 }
 
-LIBPROTOBUF_EXPORT inline const ::std::string& GetEmptyString() {
-  ::google::protobuf::GoogleOnceInit(&empty_string_once_init_, &InitEmptyString);
-  return GetEmptyStringAlreadyInited();
-}
+LIBPROTOBUF_EXPORT const ::std::string& GetEmptyString();
 
 LIBPROTOBUF_EXPORT size_t StringSpaceUsedExcludingSelfLong(const string& str);
 #endif  // SWIG