diff --git a/ircd/db.cc b/ircd/db.cc
index 5321be1b5..bcb1a10e1 100644
--- a/ircd/db.cc
+++ b/ircd/db.cc
@@ -5213,8 +5213,8 @@ ircd::db::make_opts(const gopts &opts)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-ircd::conf::item<bool>
-read_checksum
+decltype(ircd::db::read_checksum)
+ircd::db::read_checksum
 {
 	{ "name",     "ircd.db.read.checksum" },
 	{ "default",  false                   }
diff --git a/ircd/db.h b/ircd/db.h
index a91cb5b5f..e99932d16 100644
--- a/ircd/db.h
+++ b/ircd/db.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ namespace ircd::db
 	// state
 	extern log::log rog;
 	extern conf::item<bool> enable_wal;
+	extern conf::item<bool> read_checksum;
 	extern conf::item<size_t> request_pool_size;
 	extern conf::item<size_t> request_pool_stack_size;
 	extern ctx::pool::opts request_pool_opts;