diff --git a/usr.bin/tail/forward.c b/usr.bin/tail/forward.c
index e1e0638d7ad..3c605bf37bc 100644
--- a/usr.bin/tail/forward.c
+++ b/usr.bin/tail/forward.c
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ static void set_events(file_info_t *files);
 #define USE_KQUEUE	1
 #define ADD_EVENTS	2
 
-struct kevent *ev;
-int action = USE_SLEEP;
-int kq;
+static struct kevent *ev;
+static int action = USE_SLEEP;
+static int kq;
 
 static const file_info_t *last;
 
diff --git a/usr.bin/tail/tail.c b/usr.bin/tail/tail.c
index a40646abd78..a53a5680983 100644
--- a/usr.bin/tail/tail.c
+++ b/usr.bin/tail/tail.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ static const char sccsid[] = "@(#)tail.c	8.1 (Berkeley) 6/6/93";
 
 int Fflag, fflag, qflag, rflag, rval, no_files;
 
-file_info_t *files;
+static file_info_t *files;
 
 static void obsolete(char **);
 static void usage(void);