diff --git a/compiler/ccgtypes.nim b/compiler/ccgtypes.nim
index 759330a3ebe0..713ac9f3dc89 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgtypes.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgtypes.nim
@@ -764,6 +764,7 @@ proc getTypeDescAux(m: BModule, origTyp: PType, check: var IntSet): Rope =
     genProcParams(m, t, rettype, desc, check, true, true)
     if not isImportedType(t):
       if t.callConv != ccClosure: # procedure vars may need a closure!
+        # this is where seemingly dead-code `N_INLINE_PTR` is used
         m.s[cfsTypes].addf("typedef $1_PTR($2, $3) $4;$n",
              [rope(CallingConvToStr[t.callConv]), rettype, result, desc])
       else:
diff --git a/lib/nimbase.h b/lib/nimbase.h
index 605992d3c6f1..004ba170b1b5 100644
--- a/lib/nimbase.h
+++ b/lib/nimbase.h
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ __AVR__
 #  define N_INLINE(rettype, name) rettype __inline name
 #endif
 
+#define N_INLINE_PTR(rettype, name) rettype (*name)
+
 #if defined(__POCC__)
 #  define NIM_CONST /* PCC is really picky with const modifiers */
 #  undef _MSC_VER /* Yeah, right PCC defines _MSC_VER even if it is