diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index 295b87e1a..27e20d562 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -175,11 +175,6 @@ int git_buf_printf(git_buf *buf, const char *format, ...)
 	return GIT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-const char *git_buf_cstr(git_buf *buf)
-{
-	return buf->ptr;
-}
-
 void git_buf_copy_cstr(char *data, size_t datasize, const git_buf *buf)
 {
 	size_t copylen;
diff --git a/src/buffer.h b/src/buffer.h
index 30658f3c2..52fd9a678 100644
--- a/src/buffer.h
+++ b/src/buffer.h
@@ -92,12 +92,17 @@ int git_buf_join(git_buf *buf, char separator, const char *str_a, const char *st
  * Join two strings as paths, inserting a slash between as needed.
  * @return error code or GIT_SUCCESS
  */
-GIT_INLINE (int) git_buf_joinpath(git_buf *buf, const char *a, const char *b)
+GIT_INLINE(int) git_buf_joinpath(git_buf *buf, const char *a, const char *b)
 {
 	return git_buf_join(buf, '/', a, b);
 }
 
-const char *git_buf_cstr(git_buf *buf);
+GIT_INLINE(const char *) git_buf_cstr(git_buf *buf)
+{
+	return buf->ptr;
+}
+
+
 void git_buf_copy_cstr(char *data, size_t datasize, const git_buf *buf);
 
 #define git_buf_PUTS(buf, str) git_buf_put(buf, str, sizeof(str) - 1)