diff --git a/src/layers.cpp b/src/layers.cpp
index 7bfe05ab..0cf9129d 100644
--- a/src/layers.cpp
+++ b/src/layers.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ Key Layer_::liveCompositeKeymap[ROWS][COLS];
 uint8_t Layer_::activeLayers[ROWS][COLS];
 Key(*Layer_::getKey)(uint8_t layer, byte row, byte col) = Layer.getKeyFromPROGMEM;
 
+// The total number of defined layers in the firmware sketch keymaps[] array
+uint8_t LayerCount __attribute__((weak)) = 0;
+
 static void handleKeymapKeyswitchEvent(Key keymapEntry, uint8_t keyState) {
   if (keymapEntry.keyCode >= LAYER_SHIFT_OFFSET) {
     uint8_t target = keymapEntry.keyCode - LAYER_SHIFT_OFFSET;
diff --git a/src/layers.h b/src/layers.h
index 19512477..f34ce0e4 100644
--- a/src/layers.h
+++ b/src/layers.h
@@ -6,10 +6,7 @@
 
 #define CREATE_KEYMAP(layers...)				\
   const Key keymaps[][ROWS][COLS] PROGMEM = { layers };		\
-  const uint8_t LayerCount = sizeof(keymaps) / sizeof(*keymaps);
-
-// The total number of defined layers in the firmware sketch keymaps[] array
-extern const uint8_t LayerCount;
+  uint8_t LayerCount = sizeof(keymaps) / sizeof(*keymaps);
 
 
 class Layer_ {