diff --git a/include/pybind11/descr.h b/include/pybind11/descr.h
index 4123cc1b..e4a504e0 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/descr.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/descr.h
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ PYBIND11_NOINLINE inline descr concat(descr &&d) { return d; }
 template <typename... Args> PYBIND11_NOINLINE descr concat(descr &&d, Args&&... args) { return std::move(d) + _(", ") + concat(std::forward<Args>(args)...); }
 PYBIND11_NOINLINE inline descr type_descr(descr&& d) { return _("{") + std::move(d) + _("}"); }
 
-#define PYBIND11_DESCR descr
+#define PYBIND11_DESCR ::pybind11::detail::descr
 #endif
 
 NAMESPACE_END(detail)