diff --git a/builtin/rebase.c b/builtin/rebase.c
index ae360b576a..261a9a61fc 100644
--- a/builtin/rebase.c
+++ b/builtin/rebase.c
@@ -376,19 +376,6 @@ static int run_sequencer_rebase(struct rebase_options *opts)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static void imply_merge(struct rebase_options *opts, const char *option);
-static int parse_opt_keep_empty(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
-				int unset)
-{
-	struct rebase_options *opts = opt->value;
-
-	BUG_ON_OPT_ARG(arg);
-
-	imply_merge(opts, unset ? "--no-keep-empty" : "--keep-empty");
-	opts->keep_empty = !unset;
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int is_merge(struct rebase_options *opts)
 {
 	return opts->type == REBASE_MERGE;
@@ -982,6 +969,18 @@ static enum empty_type parse_empty_value(const char *value)
 	die(_("unrecognized empty type '%s'; valid values are \"drop\", \"keep\", and \"ask\"."), value);
 }
 
+static int parse_opt_keep_empty(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
+				int unset)
+{
+	struct rebase_options *opts = opt->value;
+
+	BUG_ON_OPT_ARG(arg);
+
+	imply_merge(opts, unset ? "--no-keep-empty" : "--keep-empty");
+	opts->keep_empty = !unset;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int parse_opt_empty(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset)
 {
 	struct rebase_options *options = opt->value;