diff --git a/dlls/kernel32/virtual.c b/dlls/kernel32/virtual.c
index 63283993027..c878ed8f499 100644
--- a/dlls/kernel32/virtual.c
+++ b/dlls/kernel32/virtual.c
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ BOOL WINAPI IsBadReadPtr( LPCVOID ptr, UINT size )
     __TRY
     {
         volatile const char *p = ptr;
-        char dummy;
+        char dummy __attribute__((unused));
         UINT count = size;
 
         while (count > page_size)
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/virtual.c b/dlls/ntdll/virtual.c
index 054b9246825..7185f14b40b 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/virtual.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/virtual.c
@@ -1651,7 +1651,7 @@ BOOL virtual_check_buffer_for_read( const void *ptr, SIZE_T size )
     __TRY
     {
         volatile const char *p = ptr;
-        char dummy;
+        char dummy __attribute__((unused));
         SIZE_T count = size;
 
         while (count > page_size)
diff --git a/include/wine/exception.h b/include/wine/exception.h
index 469083f77e0..9115fc9e2c5 100644
--- a/include/wine/exception.h
+++ b/include/wine/exception.h
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ extern "C" {
  * -- AJ
  */
 
+#ifndef __GNUC__
+#define __attribute__(x) /* nothing */
+#endif
+
 /* Define this if you want to use your compiler built-in __try/__except support.
  * This is only useful when compiling to a native Windows binary, as the built-in
  * compiler exceptions will most certainly not work under Winelib.
@@ -84,10 +88,6 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #else  /* USE_COMPILER_EXCEPTIONS */
 
-#ifndef __GNUC__
-#define __attribute__(x) /* nothing */
-#endif
-
 #if defined(__MINGW32__) || defined(__CYGWIN__)
 #define sigjmp_buf jmp_buf
 #define sigsetjmp(buf,sigs) setjmp(buf)