diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.h
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@
 extern int guest_ncpus;
 extern uint16_t cpu_cores, cpu_sockets, cpu_threads;
 
+#ifdef BHYVE_SNAPSHOT
+extern char *restore_file;
+#endif
+
 struct vcpu;
 struct vmctx;
 struct vm_run;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@
 
 int raw_stdio = 0;
 
+#ifdef BHYVE_SNAPSHOT
+char *restore_file;
+#endif
+
 static const int BSP = 0;
 
 static cpuset_t cpumask;
@@ -656,10 +660,7 @@
 	size_t memsize;
 	const char *value, *vmname;
 #ifdef BHYVE_SNAPSHOT
-	char *restore_file;
 	struct restore_state rstate;
-
-	restore_file = NULL;
 #endif
 
 	bhyve_init_config();