diff --git a/src/util/virnetlink.c b/src/util/virnetlink.c
index 162efe6f99..ecf62c9e72 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetlink.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetlink.c
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 #include "virnetlink.h"
 #include "virnetdev.h"
 #include "virlog.h"
-#include "viralloc.h"
 #include "virthread.h"
 #include "virmacaddr.h"
 #include "virerror.h"
diff --git a/src/util/virnetlink.h b/src/util/virnetlink.h
index 2a9de0a575..136b42b995 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetlink.h
+++ b/src/util/virnetlink.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 # include "internal.h"
 # include "virmacaddr.h"
+# include "viralloc.h"
 
 # if defined(__linux__) && defined(HAVE_LIBNL)
 
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ struct nlmsghdr;
 
 # endif /* __linux__ */
 
+typedef struct nl_msg virNetlinkMsg;
+
 int virNetlinkStartup(void);
 void virNetlinkShutdown(void);
 
@@ -123,4 +126,6 @@ int virNetlinkEventAddClient(virNetlinkEventHandleCallback handleCB,
 int virNetlinkEventRemoveClient(int watch, const virMacAddr *macaddr,
                                 unsigned int protocol);
 
+VIR_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_FUNC(virNetlinkMsg, nlmsg_free)
+
 #endif /* __VIR_NETLINK_H__ */