diff --git a/src/saveload/saveload.cpp b/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
index 29fcf89daf..c325c1ee58 100644
--- a/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
@@ -1517,8 +1517,10 @@ size_t SlCalcObjMemberLength(const void *object, const SaveLoad &sld)
 	}
 }
 
-bool SlObjectMember(void *ptr, const SaveLoad &sld)
+static bool SlObjectMember(void *object, const SaveLoad &sld)
 {
+	void *ptr = GetVariableAddress(object, sld);
+
 	assert(IsVariableSizeRight(sld));
 
 	VarType conv = GB(sld.conv, 0, 8);
@@ -1604,8 +1606,7 @@ void SlObject(void *object, const SaveLoadTable &slt)
 	}
 
 	for (auto &sld : slt) {
-		void *ptr = GetVariableAddress(object, sld);
-		SlObjectMember(ptr, sld);
+		SlObjectMember(object, sld);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/saveload/saveload.h b/src/saveload/saveload.h
index 53a81f7c2f..e320c7d8b9 100644
--- a/src/saveload/saveload.h
+++ b/src/saveload/saveload.h
@@ -905,7 +905,6 @@ void SlWriteByte(byte b);
 void SlGlobList(const SaveLoadTable &slt);
 void SlArray(void *array, size_t length, VarType conv);
 void SlObject(void *object, const SaveLoadTable &slt);
-bool SlObjectMember(void *object, const SaveLoad &sld);
 void NORETURN SlError(StringID string, const char *extra_msg = nullptr);
 void NORETURN SlErrorCorrupt(const char *msg);
 void NORETURN SlErrorCorruptFmt(const char *format, ...) WARN_FORMAT(1, 2);