diff --git a/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c b/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c
index 16bceef2e50..87fed2e46e1 100644
--- a/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c
+++ b/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c
@@ -754,6 +754,12 @@ bind_parameters(pysqlite_state *state, pysqlite_Statement *self,
     }
 }
 
+static inline void
+stmt_mark_dirty(pysqlite_Statement *self)
+{
+    self->in_use = 1;
+}
+
 PyObject *
 _pysqlite_query_execute(pysqlite_Cursor* self, int multiple, PyObject* operation, PyObject* second_argument)
 {
@@ -844,7 +850,7 @@ _pysqlite_query_execute(pysqlite_Cursor* self, int multiple, PyObject* operation
     }
 
     stmt_reset(self->statement);
-    pysqlite_statement_mark_dirty(self->statement);
+    stmt_mark_dirty(self->statement);
 
     /* We start a transaction implicitly before a DML statement.
        SELECT is the only exception. See #9924. */
@@ -863,7 +869,7 @@ _pysqlite_query_execute(pysqlite_Cursor* self, int multiple, PyObject* operation
             break;
         }
 
-        pysqlite_statement_mark_dirty(self->statement);
+        stmt_mark_dirty(self->statement);
 
         bind_parameters(state, self->statement, parameters);
         if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
diff --git a/Modules/_sqlite/statement.c b/Modules/_sqlite/statement.c
index d0a404f13b2..f9cb70f0ef1 100644
--- a/Modules/_sqlite/statement.c
+++ b/Modules/_sqlite/statement.c
@@ -116,11 +116,6 @@ error:
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void pysqlite_statement_mark_dirty(pysqlite_Statement* self)
-{
-    self->in_use = 1;
-}
-
 static void
 stmt_dealloc(pysqlite_Statement *self)
 {
diff --git a/Modules/_sqlite/statement.h b/Modules/_sqlite/statement.h
index 88d56779854..5e61227424b 100644
--- a/Modules/_sqlite/statement.h
+++ b/Modules/_sqlite/statement.h
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ typedef struct
 
 pysqlite_Statement *pysqlite_statement_create(pysqlite_Connection *connection, PyObject *sql);
 
-void pysqlite_statement_mark_dirty(pysqlite_Statement* self);
-
 int pysqlite_statement_setup_types(PyObject *module);
 
 #endif