diff --git a/include/libtorrent/Makefile.am b/include/libtorrent/Makefile.am
index 017ab1600..963588b64 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/Makefile.am
+++ b/include/libtorrent/Makefile.am
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ nobase_include_HEADERS = \
   error.hpp                    \
   error_code.hpp               \
   escape_string.hpp            \
+  export.hpp                   \
   extensions.hpp               \
   file.hpp                     \
   file_pool.hpp                \
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/config.hpp b/include/libtorrent/config.hpp
index ec84fd927..9714a272b 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/config.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/config.hpp
@@ -100,40 +100,6 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #endif
 #endif
 
-// backwards compatibility with older versions of boost
-#if !defined BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT && !defined BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
-# if defined _MSC_VER || defined __MINGW32__
-#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)
-#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT __declspec(dllimport)
-# elif __GNU__ >= 4
-#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
-#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
-# else
-#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT
-#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
-# endif
-#endif
-
-#if defined TORRENT_BUILDING_SHARED
-# define TORRENT_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT
-#elif defined TORRENT_LINKING_SHARED
-# define TORRENT_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
-#endif
-
-// when this is specified, export a bunch of extra
-// symbols, mostly for the unit tests to reach
-#if TORRENT_EXPORT_EXTRA
-# if defined TORRENT_BUILDING_SHARED
-#  define TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT
-# elif defined TORRENT_LINKING_SHARED
-#  define TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
-# endif
-#endif
-
-#ifndef TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT
-# define TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT
-#endif
-
 // ======= GCC =========
 
 #if defined __GNUC__
@@ -499,10 +465,6 @@ int snprintf(char* buf, int len, char const* fmt, ...)
 #define TORRENT_HAS_FALLOCATE 1
 #endif
 
-#ifndef TORRENT_EXPORT
-# define TORRENT_EXPORT
-#endif
-
 #ifndef TORRENT_DEPRECATED_PREFIX
 #define TORRENT_DEPRECATED_PREFIX
 #endif
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/ed25519.hpp b/include/libtorrent/ed25519.hpp
index 435e5bda4..c2f470cee 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/ed25519.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/ed25519.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef ED25519_HPP
 #define ED25519_HPP
 
-#include "libtorrent/config.hpp" // for TORRENT_EXPORT
+#include "libtorrent/export.hpp" // for TORRENT_EXPORT
 
 enum
 {
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/export.hpp b/include/libtorrent/export.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9c388b60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/libtorrent/export.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+
+Copyright (c) 2005-2014, Arvid Norberg
+All rights reserved.
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+are met:
+
+    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+      the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+    * Neither the name of the author nor the names of its
+      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+      from this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
+LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+*/
+
+#ifndef TORRENT_EXPORT_HPP_INCLUDED
+#define TORRENT_EXPORT_HPP_INCLUDED
+
+#include <boost/config.hpp>
+
+// backwards compatibility with older versions of boost
+#if !defined BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT && !defined BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
+# if defined _MSC_VER || defined __MINGW32__
+#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)
+#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT __declspec(dllimport)
+# elif __GNU__ >= 4
+#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
+#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
+# else
+#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT
+#  define BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
+# endif
+#endif
+
+#if defined TORRENT_BUILDING_SHARED
+# define TORRENT_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT
+#elif defined TORRENT_LINKING_SHARED
+# define TORRENT_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
+#endif
+
+// when this is specified, export a bunch of extra
+// symbols, mostly for the unit tests to reach
+#if TORRENT_EXPORT_EXTRA
+# if defined TORRENT_BUILDING_SHARED
+#  define TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_EXPORT
+# elif defined TORRENT_LINKING_SHARED
+#  define TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT BOOST_SYMBOL_IMPORT
+# endif
+#endif
+
+#ifndef TORRENT_EXPORT
+# define TORRENT_EXPORT
+#endif
+
+#ifndef TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT
+# define TORRENT_EXTRA_EXPORT
+#endif
+
+#endif
+