diff --git a/src/source-af-packet.c b/src/source-af-packet.c
index f5858ac522..1d67f0a51e 100644
--- a/src/source-af-packet.c
+++ b/src/source-af-packet.c
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@
 
 #endif /* HAVE_AF_PACKET */
 
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
 extern int max_pending_packets;
 
 #ifndef HAVE_AF_PACKET
diff --git a/src/source-erf-dag.c b/src/source-erf-dag.c
index dbbd077428..a68910c355 100644
--- a/src/source-erf-dag.c
+++ b/src/source-erf-dag.c
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ NoErfDagSupportExit(ThreadVars *tv, void *initdata, void **data)
 #define BYTES_PER_LOOP (4 * 1024 * 1024) /* 4 MB */
 
 extern int max_pending_packets;
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
 
 typedef struct ErfDagThreadVars_ {
     ThreadVars *tv;
diff --git a/src/source-mpipe.c b/src/source-mpipe.c
index a727846367..5bac179ab3 100644
--- a/src/source-mpipe.c
+++ b/src/source-mpipe.c
@@ -76,8 +76,6 @@
 
 #define min(a,b) (((a) < (b)) ? (a) : (b))
 
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
-
 /** storage for mpipe device names */
 typedef struct MpipeDevice_ {
     char *dev;  /**< the device (e.g. "xgbe1") */
diff --git a/src/source-napatech.c b/src/source-napatech.c
index 18abd3aa6d..6c577fecc2 100644
--- a/src/source-napatech.c
+++ b/src/source-napatech.c
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ TmEcode NoNapatechSupportExit(ThreadVars *tv, void *initdata, void **data)
 #include <nt.h>
 
 extern int max_pending_packets;
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
 
 typedef struct NapatechThreadVars_ {
     ThreadVars *tv;
diff --git a/src/source-pcap-file.c b/src/source-pcap-file.c
index d4232bcebb..3202b0d8d4 100644
--- a/src/source-pcap-file.c
+++ b/src/source-pcap-file.c
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@
 
 #endif /* __SC_CUDA_SUPPORT__ */
 
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
 extern int max_pending_packets;
 
 //static int pcap_max_read_packets = 0;
diff --git a/src/source-pcap.c b/src/source-pcap.c
index 0bc76b9ce7..bf51ff91ea 100644
--- a/src/source-pcap.c
+++ b/src/source-pcap.c
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@
 
 #endif /* __SC_CUDA_SUPPORT__ */
 
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
-
 #define PCAP_STATE_DOWN 0
 #define PCAP_STATE_UP 1
 
diff --git a/src/source-pfring.c b/src/source-pfring.c
index 753afe7f3b..fb4aed73a7 100644
--- a/src/source-pfring.c
+++ b/src/source-pfring.c
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ TmEcode DecodePfring(ThreadVars *, Packet *, void *, PacketQueue *, PacketQueue
 TmEcode DecodePfringThreadDeinit(ThreadVars *tv, void *data);
 
 extern int max_pending_packets;
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
 
 #ifndef HAVE_PFRING
 
diff --git a/src/suricata.c b/src/suricata.c
index 9549827939..5d756eb6d4 100644
--- a/src/suricata.c
+++ b/src/suricata.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ SC_ATOMIC_DECLARE(unsigned int, engine_stage);
 #define DEFAULT_MAX_PENDING_PACKETS 1024
 
 /** suricata engine control flags */
-uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags = 0;
+volatile uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags = 0;
 
 /** Run mode selected */
 int run_mode = RUNMODE_UNKNOWN;
diff --git a/src/suricata.h b/src/suricata.h
index de0fb02f11..573be0bb0a 100644
--- a/src/suricata.h
+++ b/src/suricata.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2007-2010 Open Information Security Foundation
+/* Copyright (C) 2007-2014 Open Information Security Foundation
  *
  * You can copy, redistribute or modify this Program under the terms of
  * the GNU General Public License version 2 as published by the Free
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ typedef struct SCInstance_ {
 /* memset to zeros, and mutex init! */
 void GlobalInits();
 
-extern uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
+extern volatile uint8_t suricata_ctl_flags;
 
 /* uppercase to lowercase conversion lookup table */
 uint8_t g_u8_lowercasetable[256];