diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index a0a9d9af8..9a5235a17 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+2009-12-20  Werner Lemberg  <wl@gnu.org>
+
+	Fix compiler warning.
+	Reported by Sean.
+
+	* src/base/ftdbgmem.c [!FT_DEBUG_MEMORY]: ANSI C doesn't like empty
+	source files; however, some compilers warn about an unused variable
+	declaration.  This is now replaced with a typedef.
+
 2009-12-18  Werner Lemberg  <wl@gnu.org>
 
 	Fix Savannah bug #28320.
diff --git a/src/base/ftdbgmem.c b/src/base/ftdbgmem.c
index 677f24208..160269d19 100644
--- a/src/base/ftdbgmem.c
+++ b/src/base/ftdbgmem.c
@@ -989,7 +989,7 @@
 #else  /* !FT_DEBUG_MEMORY */
 
   /* ANSI C doesn't like empty source files */
-  static const FT_Byte  _debug_mem_dummy = 0;
+  typedef int  _debug_mem_dummy;
 
 #endif /* !FT_DEBUG_MEMORY */