diff --git a/include/sdbusplus/bus.hpp b/include/sdbusplus/bus.hpp
index ab9ba04..7e834c0 100644
--- a/include/sdbusplus/bus.hpp
+++ b/include/sdbusplus/bus.hpp
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@
  *
  *  @return The dbus bus.
  */
-inline auto message_t::get_bus() const
+inline bus_t message_t::get_bus() const
 {
     sd_bus* b = nullptr;
     b = _intf->sd_bus_message_get_bus(_msg.get());
diff --git a/include/sdbusplus/message.hpp b/include/sdbusplus/message.hpp
index 54312fa..93e0923 100644
--- a/include/sdbusplus/message.hpp
+++ b/include/sdbusplus/message.hpp
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
 
     /** @brief Get the dbus bus from the message. */
     // Forward declare.
-    auto get_bus() const;
+    bus::bus get_bus() const;
 
     /** @brief Get the signature of a message.
      *