diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORB.cpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORB.cpp
index 8a0bf0bdfc..f962ed3e5d 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORB.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORB.cpp
@@ -67,23 +67,6 @@ int orb_unadvertise(orb_advert_t handle)
 	return uORB::Manager::get_instance()->orb_unadvertise(handle);
 }
 
-int orb_publish_auto(const struct orb_metadata *meta, orb_advert_t *handle, const void *data, int *instance,
-		     int priority)
-{
-	if (*handle == nullptr) {
-		*handle = orb_advertise_multi(meta, data, instance, priority);
-
-		if (*handle != nullptr) {
-			return 0;
-		}
-
-	} else {
-		return orb_publish(meta, *handle, data);
-	}
-
-	return -1;
-}
-
 int  orb_publish(const struct orb_metadata *meta, orb_advert_t handle, const void *data)
 {
 	return uORB::Manager::get_instance()->orb_publish(meta, handle, data);
diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORB.h b/src/modules/uORB/uORB.h
index f4b1794e66..a75dfb1f07 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORB.h
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORB.h
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ extern orb_advert_t orb_advertise_multi_queue(const struct orb_metadata *meta, c
  */
 extern int orb_unadvertise(orb_advert_t handle) __EXPORT;
 
+/**
+ * @see uORB::Manager::orb_publish()
+ */
+extern int	orb_publish(const struct orb_metadata *meta, orb_advert_t handle, const void *data) __EXPORT;
+
 /**
  * Advertise as the publisher of a topic.
  *
@@ -169,13 +174,23 @@ extern int orb_unadvertise(orb_advert_t handle) __EXPORT;
  *
  * @see uORB::Manager::orb_advertise_multi() for meaning of the individual parameters
  */
-extern int orb_publish_auto(const struct orb_metadata *meta, orb_advert_t *handle, const void *data, int *instance,
-			    int priority);
-
-/**
- * @see uORB::Manager::orb_publish()
- */
-extern int	orb_publish(const struct orb_metadata *meta, orb_advert_t handle, const void *data) __EXPORT;
+static inline int orb_publish_auto(const struct orb_metadata *meta, orb_advert_t *handle, const void *data,
+				   int *instance,
+				   int priority)
+{
+	if (!*handle) {
+		*handle = orb_advertise_multi(meta, data, instance, priority);
+
+		if (*handle) {
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+	} else {
+		return orb_publish(meta, *handle, data);
+	}
+
+	return -1;
+}
 
 /**
  * @see uORB::Manager::orb_subscribe()