diff --git a/apply.c b/apply.c
index efe2dcb0e6..a65a354eef 100644
--- a/apply.c
+++ b/apply.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "abspath.h"
 #include "alloc.h"
+#include "base85.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "object-store.h"
 #include "blob.h"
diff --git a/base85.c b/base85.c
index 5ca601ee14..bbacdca31b 100644
--- a/base85.c
+++ b/base85.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-#include "cache.h"
+#include "git-compat-util.h"
+#include "base85.h"
 
 #undef DEBUG_85
 
diff --git a/base85.h b/base85.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c835086e09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base85.h
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#ifndef BASE85_H
+#define BASE85_H
+
+int decode_85(char *dst, const char *line, int linelen);
+void encode_85(char *buf, const unsigned char *data, int bytes);
+
+#endif /* BASE85_H */
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 2b66176479..b89f4c5980 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -593,10 +593,6 @@ int df_name_compare(const char *name1, size_t len1, int mode1,
 int name_compare(const char *name1, size_t len1, const char *name2, size_t len2);
 int cache_name_stage_compare(const char *name1, int len1, int stage1, const char *name2, int len2, int stage2);
 
-/* base85 */
-int decode_85(char *dst, const char *line, int linelen);
-void encode_85(char *buf, const unsigned char *data, int bytes);
-
 /* pkt-line.c */
 void packet_trace_identity(const char *prog);
 
diff --git a/diff.c b/diff.c
index fa86d02319..e697f78a64 100644
--- a/diff.c
+++ b/diff.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "abspath.h"
 #include "alloc.h"
+#include "base85.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "convert.h"
 #include "environment.h"