diff --git a/scripts/mk_util.py b/scripts/mk_util.py
index ae91cd8bd..a3eed360c 100644
--- a/scripts/mk_util.py
+++ b/scripts/mk_util.py
@@ -1782,7 +1782,7 @@ def mk_config():
                 FOCI2 = False
         if GIT_HASH:
             CPPFLAGS = '%s -DZ3GITHASH=%s' % (CPPFLAGS, GIT_HASH)
-        CXXFLAGS = '%s -c' % CXXFLAGS
+        CXXFLAGS = '%s -fvisibility=hidden -c' % CXXFLAGS
         HAS_OMP = test_openmp(CXX)
         if HAS_OMP:
             CXXFLAGS = '%s -fopenmp -mfpmath=sse' % CXXFLAGS
diff --git a/src/api/api_ast.cpp b/src/api/api_ast.cpp
index b9c6230b7..20ef9ba7f 100644
--- a/src/api/api_ast.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_ast.cpp
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ extern "C" {
         Z3_CATCH_RETURN(-1);
     }
     
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_get_symbol_string(Z3_context c, Z3_symbol s) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_get_symbol_string(Z3_context c, Z3_symbol s) {
         Z3_TRY;
         LOG_Z3_get_symbol_string(c, s);
         RESET_ERROR_CODE();
@@ -823,7 +823,7 @@ extern "C" {
         Z3_CATCH_RETURN(0);
     }
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_ast_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_ast a) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_ast_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_ast a) {
         Z3_TRY;
         LOG_Z3_ast_to_string(c, a);
         RESET_ERROR_CODE();
@@ -866,11 +866,11 @@ extern "C" {
         Z3_CATCH_RETURN(0);
     }
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_sort_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_sort s) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_sort_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_sort s) {
         return Z3_ast_to_string(c, reinterpret_cast<Z3_ast>(s));
     }
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_func_decl_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_func_decl f) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_func_decl_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_func_decl f) {
         return Z3_ast_to_string(c, reinterpret_cast<Z3_ast>(f));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/api/api_context.cpp b/src/api/api_context.cpp
index 3408cdf3c..49fa10d94 100644
--- a/src/api/api_context.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_context.cpp
@@ -548,12 +548,12 @@ extern "C" {
         }
     }
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_get_error_msg(Z3_error_code err) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_get_error_msg(Z3_error_code err) {
         LOG_Z3_get_error_msg(err);
         return _get_error_msg_ex(0, err);
     }
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_get_error_msg_ex(Z3_context c, Z3_error_code err) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_get_error_msg_ex(Z3_context c, Z3_error_code err) {
         LOG_Z3_get_error_msg_ex(c, err);
         return _get_error_msg_ex(c, err);
     }
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ extern "C" {
     
 };
 
-ast_manager & Z3_API Z3_get_manager(__in Z3_context c) {
+Z3_API ast_manager& Z3_get_manager(__in Z3_context c) {
     return mk_c(c)->m();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/api/api_model.cpp b/src/api/api_model.cpp
index f0c31d800..0ae1a9948 100644
--- a/src/api/api_model.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_model.cpp
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ extern "C" {
         Z3_CATCH_RETURN(Z3_FALSE);
     }
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_model_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_model m) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_model_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_model m) {
         Z3_TRY;
         LOG_Z3_model_to_string(c, m);
         RESET_ERROR_CODE();
diff --git a/src/api/api_quant.cpp b/src/api/api_quant.cpp
index 4170852a9..727005186 100644
--- a/src/api/api_quant.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_quant.cpp
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ extern "C" {
         return (Z3_ast)(p); 
     }    
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_pattern_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_pattern p) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_pattern_to_string(Z3_context c, Z3_pattern p) {
         return Z3_ast_to_string(c, reinterpret_cast<Z3_ast>(p));
     }
     
diff --git a/src/api/api_solver_old.cpp b/src/api/api_solver_old.cpp
index b81fb2f2c..7e994a0e2 100644
--- a/src/api/api_solver_old.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_solver_old.cpp
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ extern "C" {
         Z3_CATCH;
     }
 
-    char const * Z3_API Z3_context_to_string(Z3_context c) {
+    Z3_API char const * Z3_context_to_string(Z3_context c) {
         Z3_TRY;
         LOG_Z3_context_to_string(c);
         RESET_ERROR_CODE();
diff --git a/src/api/z3.h b/src/api/z3.h
index bb7611030..47e3a1fe1 100644
--- a/src/api/z3.h
+++ b/src/api/z3.h
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ Notes:
 #ifndef _Z3__H_
 #define _Z3__H_
 
+#ifdef __GNUC__
+# define Z3_API __attribute__ ((visibility ("default")))
+#endif
+
 #include<stdio.h>
 #include"z3_macros.h"
 #include"z3_api.h"