diff --git a/regress/unittests/kex/test_kex.c b/regress/unittests/kex/test_kex.c
index 72a11f2c6..762f524fb 100644
--- a/regress/unittests/kex/test_kex.c
+++ b/regress/unittests/kex/test_kex.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 #include "packet.h"
 #include "myproposal.h"
 
+struct ssh *active_state = NULL; /* XXX - needed for linking */
+
 void kex_tests(void);
 static int do_debug = 0;
 
diff --git a/ssh-keyscan.c b/ssh-keyscan.c
index 62dbd62fa..25a257cc2 100644
--- a/ssh-keyscan.c
+++ b/ssh-keyscan.c
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ fd_set *read_wait;
 size_t read_wait_nfdset;
 int ncon;
 
+struct ssh *active_state = NULL; /* XXX needed for linking */
+
 /*
  * Keep a connection structure for each file descriptor.  The state
  * associated with file descriptor n is held in fdcon[n].
diff --git a/ssh-keysign.c b/ssh-keysign.c
index 8af13fa89..222327ef1 100644
--- a/ssh-keysign.c
+++ b/ssh-keysign.c
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
 #include "sshkey.h"
 #include "ssherr.h"
 
+struct ssh *active_state = NULL; /* XXX needed for linking */
+
 /* XXX readconf.c needs these */
 uid_t original_real_uid;