diff --git a/drivers/block/null_blk.h b/drivers/block/null_blk.h
index 4895c02e0c65..6fa3c07af63a 100644
--- a/drivers/block/null_blk.h
+++ b/drivers/block/null_blk.h
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ int null_zone_init(struct nullb_device *dev);
 void null_zone_exit(struct nullb_device *dev);
 int null_zone_report(struct gendisk *disk, sector_t sector,
 		     struct blk_zone *zones, unsigned int *nr_zones);
-inline blk_status_t null_handle_zoned(struct nullb_cmd *cmd,
-				      enum req_opf op, sector_t sector,
-				      sector_t nr_sectors);
+blk_status_t null_handle_zoned(struct nullb_cmd *cmd,
+				enum req_opf op, sector_t sector,
+				sector_t nr_sectors);
 #else
 static inline int null_zone_init(struct nullb_device *dev)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/block/null_blk_zoned.c b/drivers/block/null_blk_zoned.c
index 90092247e7eb..c07a05315e25 100644
--- a/drivers/block/null_blk_zoned.c
+++ b/drivers/block/null_blk_zoned.c
@@ -148,9 +148,8 @@ static blk_status_t null_zone_reset(struct nullb_cmd *cmd, sector_t sector)
 	return BLK_STS_OK;
 }
 
-inline blk_status_t null_handle_zoned(struct nullb_cmd *cmd,
-				       enum req_opf op, sector_t sector,
-				       sector_t nr_sectors)
+blk_status_t null_handle_zoned(struct nullb_cmd *cmd, enum req_opf op,
+			       sector_t sector, sector_t nr_sectors)
 {
 	switch (op) {
 	case REQ_OP_WRITE: