diff --git a/ares_init.c b/ares_init.c
index aab1a50f..ddcc4f94 100644
--- a/ares_init.c
+++ b/ares_init.c
@@ -1944,13 +1944,6 @@ static int init_id_key(rc4_key* key,int key_data_len)
   return ARES_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-unsigned short ares__generate_new_id(rc4_key* key)
-{
-  unsigned short r=0;
-  ares__rc4(key, (unsigned char *)&r, sizeof(r));
-  return r;
-}
-
 void ares_set_local_ip4(ares_channel channel, unsigned int local_ip)
 {
   channel->local_ip4 = local_ip;
diff --git a/ares_private.h b/ares_private.h
index ea91b7f9..ab5be5a5 100644
--- a/ares_private.h
+++ b/ares_private.h
@@ -318,7 +318,6 @@ long ares__timeoffset(struct timeval *now,
                       struct timeval *check);
 /* returns ARES_SUCCESS if library has been initialized */
 int ares_library_initialized(void);
-void ares__rc4(rc4_key* key,unsigned char *buffer_ptr, int buffer_len);
 void ares__send_query(ares_channel channel, struct query *query,
                       struct timeval *now);
 void ares__close_sockets(ares_channel channel, struct server_state *server);
diff --git a/ares_query.c b/ares_query.c
index 31084da2..4bc9c256 100644
--- a/ares_query.c
+++ b/ares_query.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ struct qquery {
 
 static void qcallback(void *arg, int status, int timeouts, unsigned char *abuf, int alen);
 
-void ares__rc4(rc4_key* key, unsigned char *buffer_ptr, int buffer_len)
+static void rc4(rc4_key* key, unsigned char *buffer_ptr, int buffer_len)
 {
   unsigned char x;
   unsigned char y;
@@ -101,6 +101,13 @@ static unsigned short generate_unique_id(ares_channel channel)
   return (unsigned short)id;
 }
 
+unsigned short ares__generate_new_id(rc4_key* key)
+{
+  unsigned short r=0;
+  rc4(key, (unsigned char *)&r, sizeof(r));
+  return r;
+}
+
 void ares_query(ares_channel channel, const char *name, int dnsclass,
                 int type, ares_callback callback, void *arg)
 {