diff --git a/ethstats.hpp b/ethstats.hpp
index 984d46d..520ed15 100644
--- a/ethstats.hpp
+++ b/ethstats.hpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
  */
 ipmi_ret_t handleEthStatCommand(const std::uint8_t* reqBuf,
                                 std::uint8_t* replyCmdBuf, size_t* dataLen,
-                                const EthStatsInterface* handler = &handler);
+                                const EthStatsInterface* handler);
 
 /**
  * Given an ethernet if_name and a field, build the full path.
diff --git a/handler.cpp b/handler.cpp
index d34b7fc..6b36b7b 100644
--- a/handler.cpp
+++ b/handler.cpp
@@ -53,6 +53,4 @@
     return value;
 }
 
-EthStats handler;
-
 } // namespace ethstats
diff --git a/handler.hpp b/handler.hpp
index 77ad55c..757126d 100644
--- a/handler.hpp
+++ b/handler.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,4 @@
     std::uint64_t readStatistic(const std::string& path) const override;
 };
 
-extern EthStats handler;
-
 } // namespace ethstats
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index 9020809..e45d878 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@
 namespace ethstats
 {
 
+EthStats handler;
+
 static ipmi_ret_t ethStatCommand(ipmi_cmd_t cmd __attribute__((unused)),
                                  const uint8_t* reqBuf, uint8_t* replyCmdBuf,
                                  size_t* dataLen)
 {
-    return handleEthStatCommand(reqBuf, replyCmdBuf, dataLen);
+    return handleEthStatCommand(reqBuf, replyCmdBuf, dataLen, &handler);
 }
 
 } // namespace ethstats