diff --git a/src/core/ref-count-base.cc b/src/core/ref-count-base.cc
index d376894f6..06abf7c22 100644
--- a/src/core/ref-count-base.cc
+++ b/src/core/ref-count-base.cc
@@ -43,4 +43,10 @@ RefCountBase::~RefCountBase ()
 {
 }
 
+uint32_t
+RefCountBase::GetReferenceCount (void) const
+{
+  return m_count;
+}
+
 } // namespace ns3
diff --git a/src/core/ref-count-base.h b/src/core/ref-count-base.h
index e0cc0387c..08e9946fa 100644
--- a/src/core/ref-count-base.h
+++ b/src/core/ref-count-base.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public:
   /**
    * Get the reference count of the object.  Normally not needed; for language bindings.
    */
-  inline uint32_t GetReferenceCount (void) const;
+  uint32_t GetReferenceCount (void) const;
 
 private:
   // Note we make this mutable so that the const methods can still
@@ -91,12 +91,6 @@ RefCountBase::Unref (void) const
     }
 }
 
-uint32_t
-RefCountBase::GetReferenceCount (void) const
-{
-  return m_count;
-}
-
 } // namespace ns3
 
 #endif /* __REF_COUNT_BASE_H__*/