diff --git a/gst/gstcaps.c b/gst/gstcaps.c
index d660e52bc1..cd6957522f 100644
--- a/gst/gstcaps.c
+++ b/gst/gstcaps.c
@@ -2540,3 +2540,24 @@ gst_caps_filter_and_map_in_place (GstCaps * caps, GstCapsFilterMapFunc func,
     }
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * gst_caps_copy:
+ * @caps: a #GstCaps.
+ *
+ * Creates a new #GstCaps as a copy of the old @caps. The new caps will have a
+ * refcount of 1, owned by the caller. The structures are copied as well.
+ *
+ * Note that this function is the semantic equivalent of a gst_caps_ref()
+ * followed by a gst_caps_make_writable(). If you only want to hold on to a
+ * reference to the data, you should use gst_caps_ref().
+ *
+ * When you are finished with the caps, call gst_caps_unref() on it.
+ *
+ * Returns: the new #GstCaps
+ */
+GstCaps *
+gst_caps_copy (const GstCaps * caps)
+{
+  return GST_CAPS (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (caps)));
+}
diff --git a/gst/gstcaps.h b/gst/gstcaps.h
index 4730fd0f24..1ab07b6efe 100644
--- a/gst/gstcaps.h
+++ b/gst/gstcaps.h
@@ -224,26 +224,8 @@ gst_caps_unref (GstCaps * caps)
 }
 
 /* copy caps */
-/**
- * gst_caps_copy:
- * @caps: a #GstCaps.
- *
- * Creates a new #GstCaps as a copy of the old @caps. The new caps will have a
- * refcount of 1, owned by the caller. The structures are copied as well.
- *
- * Note that this function is the semantic equivalent of a gst_caps_ref()
- * followed by a gst_caps_make_writable(). If you only want to hold on to a
- * reference to the data, you should use gst_caps_ref().
- *
- * When you are finished with the caps, call gst_caps_unref() on it.
- *
- * Returns: the new #GstCaps
- */
-static inline GstCaps *
-gst_caps_copy (const GstCaps * caps)
-{
-  return GST_CAPS (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (caps)));
-}
+GST_API
+GstCaps * gst_caps_copy (const GstCaps * caps);
 
 /**
  * gst_caps_is_writable: