diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/gnrc_ipv6.c b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/gnrc_ipv6.c
index a70f2e0783..382d2fcc6a 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/gnrc_ipv6.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/gnrc_ipv6.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #define _MAX_L2_ADDR_LEN    (8U)
 
 static char _stack[GNRC_IPV6_STACK_SIZE + DEBUG_EXTRA_STACKSIZE];
+static msg_t _msg_q[GNRC_IPV6_MSG_QUEUE_SIZE];
 
 #ifdef MODULE_FIB
 /**
@@ -172,12 +173,12 @@ static void _dispatch_next_header(gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt, unsigned nh,
 
 static void *_event_loop(void *args)
 {
-    msg_t msg, reply, msg_q[GNRC_IPV6_MSG_QUEUE_SIZE];
+    msg_t msg, reply;
     gnrc_netreg_entry_t me_reg = GNRC_NETREG_ENTRY_INIT_PID(GNRC_NETREG_DEMUX_CTX_ALL,
                                                             thread_getpid());
 
     (void)args;
-    msg_init_queue(msg_q, GNRC_IPV6_MSG_QUEUE_SIZE);
+    msg_init_queue(_msg_q, GNRC_IPV6_MSG_QUEUE_SIZE);
 
     /* initialize fragmentation data-structures */
 #ifdef MODULE_GNRC_IPV6_EXT_FRAG