diff --git a/include/util.h b/include/util.h
index b633b123f..d4e3e3d20 100644
--- a/include/util.h
+++ b/include/util.h
@@ -118,21 +118,6 @@ extern void pr_vma(unsigned int loglevel, const struct vma_area *vma_area);
 	} while (0)
 #define pr_info_vma_list(head)	pr_vma_list(LOG_INFO, head)
 
-/*
- * Note since VMA_AREA_NONE = 0 we can skip assignment
- * here and simply rely on xzalloc
- */
-#define alloc_vma_area()					\
-	({							\
-		struct vma_area *p__ = xzalloc(sizeof(*p__));	\
-		if (p__) {					\
-			vma_entry__init(&p__->vma);		\
-			p__->vm_file_fd = -1;			\
-			p__->vma.fd	= -1;			\
-		}						\
-		p__;						\
-	})
-
 extern int move_img_fd(int *img_fd, int want_fd);
 extern int close_safe(int *fd);
 
diff --git a/include/vma.h b/include/vma.h
index 03994a6eb..c40d5438c 100644
--- a/include/vma.h
+++ b/include/vma.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ struct vma_area {
 	struct stat		*st;
 };
 
+extern struct vma_area *alloc_vma_area(void);
 extern int collect_mappings(pid_t pid, struct vm_area_list *vma_area_list);
 extern void free_mappings(struct vm_area_list *vma_area_list);
 extern bool privately_dump_vma(struct vma_area *vma);
diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index 118ef89a6..053980a45 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -642,3 +642,21 @@ out:
 	close(fd);
 	return ret;
 }
+
+/*
+ * Note since VMA_AREA_NONE = 0 we can skip assignment
+ * here and simply rely on xzalloc
+ */
+struct vma_area *alloc_vma_area(void)
+{
+	struct vma_area *p;
+
+	p = xzalloc(sizeof(*p));
+	if (p) {
+		vma_entry__init(&p->vma);
+		p->vm_file_fd = -1;
+		p->vma.fd = -1;
+	}
+
+	return p;
+}