diff --git a/libgloss/close.c b/libgloss/close.c
index 3df78eca..af475741 100644
--- a/libgloss/close.c
+++ b/libgloss/close.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
  * This file is part of MetalSVM. 
  */
 
-#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 #include "config.h"
 #include <_ansi.h>
 #include <_syslist.h>
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@
 #undef errno
 extern int errno;
 #include "warning.h"
+#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 
 int
 _DEFUN (close, (fildes),
diff --git a/libgloss/config.h b/libgloss/config.h
index 21f199e5..d02c1849 100644
--- a/libgloss/config.h
+++ b/libgloss/config.h
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+/* avoids redifinition in metalsvm/stddef.h */
+#define _SSIZE_T			1
+#define _OFF_T				1
+
 /* Name of package.  */
 #define PACKAGE		MetalSVMGloss
 
diff --git a/libgloss/fstat.c b/libgloss/fstat.c
index 1a6756d7..0263f8db 100644
--- a/libgloss/fstat.c
+++ b/libgloss/fstat.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
  * This file is part of MetalSVM. 
  */
 
-#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 #include "config.h"
 #include <_ansi.h>
 #include <_syslist.h>
@@ -27,6 +26,7 @@
 #undef errno
 extern int errno;
 #include "warning.h"
+#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 
 int
 _DEFUN (fstat, (fildes, st),
diff --git a/libgloss/getpid.c b/libgloss/getpid.c
index 77e7a23c..6d714d99 100644
--- a/libgloss/getpid.c
+++ b/libgloss/getpid.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
  * This file is part of MetalSVM. 
  */
 
-#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 #include "config.h"
 #include <_ansi.h>
 #include <_syslist.h>
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@
 #undef errno
 extern int errno;
 #include "warning.h"
+#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 
 int
 _DEFUN (_getpid, (),
diff --git a/libgloss/open.c b/libgloss/open.c
index 834c8948..9a8be93e 100644
--- a/libgloss/open.c
+++ b/libgloss/open.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
  * This file is part of MetalSVM. 
  */
 
-#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 #include "config.h"
 #include <_ansi.h>
 #include <_syslist.h>
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@
 #undef errno
 extern int errno;
 #include "warning.h"
+#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 
 int
 _DEFUN (_open, (file, flags, mode),
diff --git a/libgloss/sbrk.c b/libgloss/sbrk.c
index 6e653c7b..7c5a310c 100644
--- a/libgloss/sbrk.c
+++ b/libgloss/sbrk.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
  * This file is part of MetalSVM. 
  */
 
-#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 #include "config.h"
 #include <_syslist.h>
 #include <errno.h>
diff --git a/libgloss/write.c b/libgloss/write.c
index 1308faeb..bf58057e 100644
--- a/libgloss/write.c
+++ b/libgloss/write.c
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@
  */
 
 #include "config.h"
-#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 #include <_ansi.h>
 #include <_syslist.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #undef errno
 extern int errno;
 #include "warning.h"
+#include <metalsvm/syscall.h>
 
 int
 _DEFUN (write, (file, ptr, len),