diff --git a/io/io/inc/ROOT/TBufferMerger.hxx b/io/io/inc/ROOT/TBufferMerger.hxx
index 6cc2ff9c3cc25b8ae5ca2f555faea6c9e74abfe1..bbd3068656a47939464acb38c0bed65cd9e18bee 100644
--- a/io/io/inc/ROOT/TBufferMerger.hxx
+++ b/io/io/inc/ROOT/TBufferMerger.hxx
@@ -71,7 +71,10 @@ public:
    size_t GetQueueSize() const;
 
    /** Returns the number of bytes currently buffered (i.e. in the queue). */
-   size_t GetBuffered() const;
+   size_t GetBuffered() const
+   {
+      return fBuffered;
+   }
 
    /** Returns the current value of the auto save setting in bytes (default = 0). */
    size_t GetAutoSave() const;
diff --git a/io/io/src/TBufferMerger.cxx b/io/io/src/TBufferMerger.cxx
index e060edfbeb92f64f764e57133704a812e302057b..e53ca46a11c48e04bb77b7efb5907f1c4a5ebbeb 100644
--- a/io/io/src/TBufferMerger.cxx
+++ b/io/io/src/TBufferMerger.cxx
@@ -70,11 +70,6 @@ size_t TBufferMerger::GetQueueSize() const
    return fQueue.size();
 }
 
-size_t TBufferMerger::GetBuffered() const
-{
-   return fBuffered;
-}
-
 void TBufferMerger::Push(TBufferFile *buffer)
 {
    {