diff --git a/FL/Fl.H b/FL/Fl.H
index 5df4b4410..3d33fba7a 100644
--- a/FL/Fl.H
+++ b/FL/Fl.H
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class Fl_Widget;
 class Fl_Window;
 class Fl_Image;
 struct Fl_Label;
+class Fl_Screen_Driver;
 
 // Keep avoiding having the socket deps at that level but mke sure it will work in both 32 & 64 bit builds
 #if defined(WIN32) && !defined(__CYGWIN__)
@@ -137,7 +138,6 @@ class FL_EXPORT Fl {
 
 private:
 
-  static class Fl_Screen_Driver *screen_driver_;
   static int use_high_res_GL_;
 
 public:
diff --git a/src/Fl.cxx b/src/Fl.cxx
index c0120b13d..a27a187fd 100644
--- a/src/Fl.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl.cxx
@@ -216,16 +216,12 @@ char const * const Fl::clipboard_image = "image";
 // Drivers
 //
 
-Fl_Screen_Driver *Fl::screen_driver_ = Fl_Screen_Driver::newScreenDriver();
-
 Fl_Screen_Driver *Fl::screen_driver()
 {
-  if (!screen_driver_)
-    screen_driver_ = Fl_Screen_Driver::newScreenDriver();
+  static  Fl_Screen_Driver* screen_driver_ = Fl_Screen_Driver::newScreenDriver();
   return screen_driver_;
 }
 
-
 //
 // 'Fl::version()' - Return the API version number...
 //