diff --git a/glib/gdataset.c b/glib/gdataset.c
index c85b19aca..6cb0493b2 100644
--- a/glib/gdataset.c
+++ b/glib/gdataset.c
@@ -151,27 +151,19 @@ static GDataset     *g_dataset_cached = NULL; /* should this be
 
 /* --- functions --- */
 
-#define DATALIST_LOCK_BIT 2
-
 G_ALWAYS_INLINE static inline GData *
 g_datalist_lock_and_get (GData **datalist)
 {
   guintptr ptr;
 
-  g_pointer_bit_lock_and_get ((void **) datalist, DATALIST_LOCK_BIT, &ptr);
+  g_pointer_bit_lock_and_get ((void **) datalist, _G_DATALIST_LOCK_BIT, &ptr);
   return G_DATALIST_CLEAN_POINTER (ptr);
 }
 
-static void
-g_datalist_unlock (GData **datalist)
-{
-  g_pointer_bit_unlock ((void **)datalist, DATALIST_LOCK_BIT);
-}
-
 static void
 g_datalist_unlock_and_set (GData **datalist, gpointer ptr)
 {
-  g_pointer_bit_unlock_and_set ((void **) datalist, DATALIST_LOCK_BIT, ptr, G_DATALIST_FLAGS_MASK_INTERNAL);
+  g_pointer_bit_unlock_and_set ((void **) datalist, _G_DATALIST_LOCK_BIT, ptr, G_DATALIST_FLAGS_MASK_INTERNAL);
 }
 
 static gsize
diff --git a/glib/gdatasetprivate.h b/glib/gdatasetprivate.h
index 228133c5f..cc76a9a73 100644
--- a/glib/gdatasetprivate.h
+++ b/glib/gdatasetprivate.h
@@ -38,6 +38,26 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
 #define G_DATALIST_GET_FLAGS(datalist)				\
   ((gsize) g_atomic_pointer_get (datalist) & G_DATALIST_FLAGS_MASK)
 
+#define _G_DATALIST_LOCK_BIT 2
+
+#define g_datalist_lock(datalist)                                   \
+  G_STMT_START                                                      \
+  {                                                                 \
+    GData **const _datalist = (datalist);                           \
+                                                                    \
+    g_pointer_bit_lock ((void **) _datalist, _G_DATALIST_LOCK_BIT); \
+  }                                                                 \
+  G_STMT_END
+
+#define g_datalist_unlock(datalist)                                   \
+  G_STMT_START                                                        \
+  {                                                                   \
+    GData **const _datalist = (datalist);                             \
+                                                                      \
+    g_pointer_bit_unlock ((void **) _datalist, _G_DATALIST_LOCK_BIT); \
+  }                                                                   \
+  G_STMT_END
+
 /*< private >
  * GDataListUpdateAtomicFunc:
  * @data: (inout) (nullable) (not optional): the existing data corresponding