diff --git a/lib/datastruct/list.c b/lib/datastruct/list.c
index 4c3f76ac5..3f8fb8a84 100644
--- a/lib/datastruct/list.c
+++ b/lib/datastruct/list.c
@@ -65,6 +65,15 @@ void list_del(struct list *elem)
 	elem->p->n = elem->n;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Remove an element from existing list and insert before 'head'.
+ */
+void list_move(struct list *head, struct list *elem)
+{
+        list_del(elem);
+        list_add(head, elem);
+}
+
 /*
  * Is the list empty?
  */
diff --git a/lib/datastruct/list.h b/lib/datastruct/list.h
index 340e9f479..02b6dd4d3 100644
--- a/lib/datastruct/list.h
+++ b/lib/datastruct/list.h
@@ -55,14 +55,9 @@ void list_add_h(struct list *head, struct list *elem);
 void list_del(struct list *elem);
 
 /*
- * Move an element from an existing list to list 'head'.
- * Insert the element before 'head'.
+ * Remove an element from existing list and insert before 'head'.
  */
-static inline void list_move(struct list *item, struct list *head)
-{
-        list_del(item);
-        list_add(head, item);
-}
+void list_move(struct list *head, struct list *elem);
 
 /*
  * Is the list empty?
diff --git a/lib/metadata/metadata.c b/lib/metadata/metadata.c
index 98c4156c1..f50a893a1 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/metadata.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/metadata.c
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ int vg_split_mdas(struct cmd_context *cmd __attribute((unused)),
 			if (is_orphan_vg(vg_to->name))
 				list_del(&mda->list);
 			else
-				list_move(&mda->list, mdas_to);
+				list_move(mdas_to, &mda->list);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/libdm/datastruct/list.c b/libdm/datastruct/list.c
index 4c3f76ac5..3f8fb8a84 100644
--- a/libdm/datastruct/list.c
+++ b/libdm/datastruct/list.c
@@ -65,6 +65,15 @@ void list_del(struct list *elem)
 	elem->p->n = elem->n;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Remove an element from existing list and insert before 'head'.
+ */
+void list_move(struct list *head, struct list *elem)
+{
+        list_del(elem);
+        list_add(head, elem);
+}
+
 /*
  * Is the list empty?
  */
diff --git a/libdm/datastruct/list.h b/libdm/datastruct/list.h
index 340e9f479..02b6dd4d3 100644
--- a/libdm/datastruct/list.h
+++ b/libdm/datastruct/list.h
@@ -55,14 +55,9 @@ void list_add_h(struct list *head, struct list *elem);
 void list_del(struct list *elem);
 
 /*
- * Move an element from an existing list to list 'head'.
- * Insert the element before 'head'.
+ * Remove an element from existing list and insert before 'head'.
  */
-static inline void list_move(struct list *item, struct list *head)
-{
-        list_del(item);
-        list_add(head, item);
-}
+void list_move(struct list *head, struct list *elem);
 
 /*
  * Is the list empty?
diff --git a/tools/vgmerge.c b/tools/vgmerge.c
index 7e1514850..6ba14b3fe 100644
--- a/tools/vgmerge.c
+++ b/tools/vgmerge.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ static int _vgmerge_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vg_name_to,
 		struct list *pvh = vg_from->pvs.n;
 		struct physical_volume *pv;
 
-		list_move(pvh, &vg_to->pvs);
+		list_move(&vg_to->pvs, pvh);
 
 		pv = list_item(pvh, struct pv_list)->pv;
 		pv->vg_name = dm_pool_strdup(cmd->mem, vg_to->name);
@@ -89,13 +89,13 @@ static int _vgmerge_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vg_name_to,
 	while (!list_empty(&vg_from->lvs)) {
 		struct list *lvh = vg_from->lvs.n;
 
-		list_move(lvh, &vg_to->lvs);
+		list_move(&vg_to->lvs, lvh);
 	}
 
 	while (!list_empty(&vg_from->fid->metadata_areas)) {
 		struct list *mdah = vg_from->fid->metadata_areas.n;
 
-		list_move(mdah, &vg_to->fid->metadata_areas);
+		list_move(&vg_to->fid->metadata_areas, mdah);
 	}
 
 	vg_to->lv_count += vg_from->lv_count;
diff --git a/tools/vgsplit.c b/tools/vgsplit.c
index 9ff9af39f..2fa55fa79 100644
--- a/tools/vgsplit.c
+++ b/tools/vgsplit.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static int _move_pv(struct volume_group *vg_from, struct volume_group *vg_to,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	list_move(&pvl->list, &vg_to->pvs);
+	list_move(&vg_to->pvs, &pvl->list);
 
 	vg_from->pv_count--;
 	vg_to->pv_count++;
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static int _move_one_lv(struct volume_group *vg_from,
 	struct logical_volume *lv;
 
 	lv = list_item(lvh, struct lv_list)->lv;
-	list_move(lvh, &vg_to->lvs);
+	list_move(&vg_to->lvs, lvh);
 	
 	if (lv->status & SNAPSHOT) {
 		vg_from->snapshot_count--;