diff --git a/src/avrdude.h b/src/avrdude.h
index 7ee21bf6..240f768a 100644
--- a/src/avrdude.h
+++ b/src/avrdude.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ extern char progbuf[];       // spaces same length as progname
 extern int ovsigck;          // override signature check (-F)
 extern int verbose;          // verbosity level (-v, -vv, ...)
 extern int quell_progress;   // quell progress report -q, reduce effective verbosity level (-qq, -qqq)
+extern char *partdesc;       // part id
 
 int avrdude_message(int msglvl, const char *format, ...);
 int avrdude_message2(FILE *fp, int lno, const char *file, const char *func, int msgmode, int msglvl, const char *format, ...);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index d1d0ebca..406db530 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static PROGRAMMER * pgm;
 int    verbose;     /* verbose output */
 int    quell_progress; /* un-verebose output */
 int    ovsigck;     /* 1=override sig check, 0=don't */
-
+char  *partdesc;    /* part id */
 
 
 /*
@@ -487,7 +487,6 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv [])
   int     terminal;    /* 1=enter terminal mode, 0=don't */
   const char *exitspecs; /* exit specs string from command line */
   char  * programmer;  /* programmer id */
-  char  * partdesc;    /* part id */
   char    sys_config[PATH_MAX]; /* system wide config file */
   char    usr_config[PATH_MAX]; /* per-user config file */
   char    executable_abspath[PATH_MAX]; /* absolute path to avrdude executable */