diff --git a/common/main/fwd-object.h b/common/main/fwd-object.h
index e74c08f62..d7e3563dd 100644
--- a/common/main/fwd-object.h
+++ b/common/main/fwd-object.h
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ void obj_relink_all();
 
 // links an object into a segment's list of objects.
 // takes object number and segment number
-void obj_link(vmobjptridx_t objnum,vmsegptridx_t segnum);
+void obj_link(fvmobjptr &vmobjptr, vmobjptridx_t objnum, vmsegptridx_t segnum);
 /* Link an object without checking whether the object is currently
  * unlinked.  This should be used only in cases where the caller is
  * intentionally overriding the normal linking rules (such as loading
diff --git a/similar/main/object.cpp b/similar/main/object.cpp
index cfefa62d7..18a0561bd 100644
--- a/similar/main/object.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/object.cpp
@@ -861,7 +861,7 @@ void special_reset_objects(d_level_object_state &ObjectState)
 }
 
 //link the object into the list for its segment
-void obj_link(const vmobjptridx_t obj,const vmsegptridx_t segnum)
+void obj_link(fvmobjptr &vmobjptr, const vmobjptridx_t obj, const vmsegptridx_t segnum)
 {
 	assert(obj->segnum == segment_none);
 	assert(obj->next == object_none);
@@ -1954,7 +1954,7 @@ void compress_objects(void)
 
 			h->type = OBJ_NONE;
 
-			obj_link(start_objp, vmsegptridx(segnum_copy));
+			obj_link(Objects.vmptr, start_objp, vmsegptridx(segnum_copy));
 
 			while (vmobjptr(static_cast<objnum_t>(--highest))->type == OBJ_NONE)
 			{