diff --git a/src/util/vircgroup.c b/src/util/vircgroup.c
index 140b01692f..bc5f77469f 100644
--- a/src/util/vircgroup.c
+++ b/src/util/vircgroup.c
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@
 #include "vircgrouppriv.h"
 
 #include "virutil.h"
-#include "viralloc.h"
 #include "virerror.h"
 #include "virlog.h"
 #include "virfile.h"
diff --git a/src/util/vircgroup.h b/src/util/vircgroup.h
index e4ffd57b6b..065861d700 100644
--- a/src/util/vircgroup.h
+++ b/src/util/vircgroup.h
@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@
 
 # include "virutil.h"
 # include "virbitmap.h"
+# include "viralloc.h"
 
-struct virCgroup;
-typedef struct virCgroup *virCgroupPtr;
+struct _virCgroup;
+typedef struct _virCgroup virCgroup;
+typedef virCgroup *virCgroupPtr;
 
 enum {
     VIR_CGROUP_CONTROLLER_CPU,
@@ -297,4 +299,7 @@ int virCgroupSetOwner(virCgroupPtr cgroup,
 int virCgroupHasEmptyTasks(virCgroupPtr cgroup, int controller);
 
 bool virCgroupControllerAvailable(int controller);
+
+VIR_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_FUNC(virCgroup, virCgroupFree)
+
 #endif /* __VIR_CGROUP_H__ */
diff --git a/src/util/vircgrouppriv.h b/src/util/vircgrouppriv.h
index 722863e5b6..a72bee1ef2 100644
--- a/src/util/vircgrouppriv.h
+++ b/src/util/vircgrouppriv.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ struct virCgroupController {
     char *placement;
 };
 
-struct virCgroup {
+struct _virCgroup {
     char *path;
 
     struct virCgroupController controllers[VIR_CGROUP_CONTROLLER_LAST];