diff --git a/lib/Basics/DataProtector.cpp b/lib/Basics/DataProtector.cpp
index a9daedaa7e..d57567d4f7 100644
--- a/lib/Basics/DataProtector.cpp
+++ b/lib/Basics/DataProtector.cpp
@@ -39,3 +39,20 @@ std::atomic<int> arangodb::basics::DataProtector::_last(0);
 
 // TODO: Reactivate this template instantiation once everybody has gcc >= 4.9.2
 // template class arangodb::basics::DataProtector<64>;
+
+int arangodb::basics::DataProtector::getMyId() {
+  int id = _mySlot;
+  if (id >= 0) {
+    return id;
+  }
+  while (true) {
+    int newId = _last + 1;
+    if (newId >= DATA_PROTECTOR_MULTIPLICITY) {
+      newId = 0;
+    }
+    if (_last.compare_exchange_strong(id, newId)) {
+      _mySlot = newId;
+      return newId;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/Basics/DataProtector.h b/lib/Basics/DataProtector.h
index 86c02dc7e0..bf240e0caa 100644
--- a/lib/Basics/DataProtector.h
+++ b/lib/Basics/DataProtector.h
@@ -146,22 +146,7 @@ class DataProtector {
     _list[id]._count--;  // this is implicitly using memory_order_seq_cst
   }
 
-  int getMyId() {
-    int id = _mySlot;
-    if (id >= 0) {
-      return id;
-    }
-    while (true) {
-      int newId = _last + 1;
-      if (newId >= DATA_PROTECTOR_MULTIPLICITY) {
-        newId = 0;
-      }
-      if (_last.compare_exchange_strong(id, newId)) {
-        _mySlot = newId;
-        return newId;
-      }
-    }
-  }
+    int getMyId();
 };
 
 }  // namespace arangodb::basics