diff --git a/include/nuttx/board.h b/include/nuttx/board.h
index 8362b1f722..3c8899bb69 100644
--- a/include/nuttx/board.h
+++ b/include/nuttx/board.h
@@ -120,6 +120,14 @@
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+#define EXTERN extern "C"
+extern "C"
+{
+#else
+#define EXTERN extern
+#endif
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Name: board_early_initialize
  *
@@ -715,4 +723,9 @@ void board_crashdump(uintptr_t currentsp, FAR void *tcb,
 void board_init_rngseed(void);
 #endif
 
+#undef EXTERN
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
 #endif /* __INCLUDE_NUTTX_BOARD_H */