diff --git a/src/input.cpp b/src/input.cpp
index 4107f5d163..980a2c1e1f 100644
--- a/src/input.cpp
+++ b/src/input.cpp
@@ -57,6 +57,15 @@ using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 #define DELTALINE 256
 #define DELTA 4
 
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   one instance per command in style_command.h
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+template <typename T> static Command *command_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
+{
+  return new T(lmp);
+}
+
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 /** \class LAMMPS_NS::Input
@@ -810,16 +819,6 @@ int Input::execute_command()
   return -1;
 }
 
-/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-   one instance per command in style_command.h
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-template <typename T>
-Command *Input::command_creator(LAMMPS *lmp)
-{
-  return new T(lmp);
-}
-
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/input.h b/src/input.h
index 1fe79ba561..3e9edfe0a6 100644
--- a/src/input.h
+++ b/src/input.h
@@ -64,9 +64,6 @@ class Input : protected Pointers {
   typedef std::map<std::string, CommandCreator> CommandCreatorMap;
   CommandCreatorMap *command_map;
 
- protected:
-  template <typename T> static Command *command_creator(LAMMPS *);
-
  private:
   void parse();                            // parse an input text line
   char *nextword(char *, char **);         // find next word in string with quotes