diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index a32c43b1..d9ffaa7d 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -655,14 +655,6 @@ available_space_after (union block *pointer)
   return charptr (record_end) - charptr (pointer);
 }
 
-/* Close file having descriptor FD, and abort if close unsuccessful.  */
-void
-xclose (int fd)
-{
-  if (close (fd) < 0)
-    close_error (_("(pipe)"));
-}
-
 static void
 init_buffer (void)
 {
diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 2cc89822..6296eacd 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -474,7 +474,6 @@ void print_total_stats (void);
 void reset_eof (void);
 void set_next_block_after (void *);
 void clear_read_error_count (void);
-void xclose (int fd);
 _Noreturn void archive_write_error (ssize_t status);
 void archive_read_error (void);
 off_t seek_archive (off_t size);
diff --git a/src/system.c b/src/system.c
index f7a2b866..71494914 100644
--- a/src/system.c
+++ b/src/system.c
@@ -306,6 +306,14 @@ enum { PREAD, PWRITE };
 # pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wanalyzer-fd-leak"
 #endif
 
+/* Close file having descriptor FD, and abort if close unsuccessful.  */
+static void
+xclose (int fd)
+{
+  if (close (fd) < 0)
+    close_error (_("(pipe)"));
+}
+
 /* Duplicate file descriptor FROM into becoming INTO.
    INTO is closed first and has to be the next available slot.  */
 static void