diff --git a/panda/src/express/patchfile.cxx b/panda/src/express/patchfile.cxx
index 5aef4416d1..c7e212c260 100644
--- a/panda/src/express/patchfile.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/express/patchfile.cxx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #endif  // HAVE_TAR
 
 #ifdef HAVE_TAR
-istream *Patchfile::_tar_istream = nullptr;
+std::istream *Patchfile::_tar_istream = nullptr;
 #endif  // HAVE_TAR
 
 using std::endl;