diff --git a/internal/clang/emit.go b/internal/clang/emit.go
index 2091f4b1..3484a994 100644
--- a/internal/clang/emit.go
+++ b/internal/clang/emit.go
@@ -127,8 +127,11 @@ func (g *Generator) emitImpl(w io.Writer) {
 	g.emitEmbeds(w, g.embeds.impl)
 	g.emitUnexportedTypes(w)
 	g.emitResultTypes(w, false)
-	g.emitPackageVars(w)
+	// Forward func decls before package vars: a package-var initializer may
+	// reference a function (e.g. a func-typed struct field), and a function
+	// prototype never references a package var, so this order satisfies both.
 	g.emitForwardFuncDecls(w)
+	g.emitPackageVars(w)
 
 	multiFile := len(g.pkg.Syntax) > 1
 	if !multiFile {
diff --git a/internal/clang/symbols.go b/internal/clang/symbols.go
index 262b06bb..a8ae9f50 100644
--- a/internal/clang/symbols.go
+++ b/internal/clang/symbols.go
@@ -240,8 +240,9 @@ func (g *Generator) collectFuncDecl(d *ast.FuncDecl) {
 }
 
 // emitPackageVars writes all package-level variable and constant
-// declarations at the top of the .c file, before forward declarations.
-// This ensures they are defined before any function that references them.
+// declarations at the top of the .c file, after forward func declarations
+// (so initializers can reference functions) but before any function body
+// (so functions can reference these vars).
 func (g *Generator) emitPackageVars(w io.Writer) {
 	var symbols []symbol
 	for _, sym := range g.symbols {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/arrays/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/arrays/dst/main.c
index fecd4b44..c36a9631 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/arrays/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/arrays/dst/main.c
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ typedef struct arange {
     uint8_t hi;
 } arange;
 
-// -- Variables and constants --
-static arange aranges[16] = {[0] = (arange){0x10, 0x20}, [1] = (arange){0x30, 0x40}, [2] = (arange){0x50, 0x60}};
-
 // -- Forward declarations --
 static void change(so_int a[3]);
 static box newBox(void);
 
+// -- Variables and constants --
+static arange aranges[16] = {[0] = (arange){0x10, 0x20}, [1] = (arange){0x30, 0x40}, [2] = (arange){0x50, 0x60}};
+
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static void change(so_int a[3]) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/attr/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/attr/dst/main.c
index 1c8dd934..941ca351 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/attr/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/attr/dst/main.c
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ typedef struct __attribute__((packed, aligned(16))) aligned {
 //
 typedef __attribute__((aligned(8))) so_int myInt;
 
+// -- Forward declarations --
+static __attribute__((noinline)) void helper(void);
+
 // -- Variables and constants --
 
 // Unexported volatile variable.
@@ -44,9 +47,6 @@ _Thread_local so_int main_PerThread = 0;
 //
 static _Thread_local volatile so_int flags = 0;
 
-// -- Forward declarations --
-static __attribute__((noinline)) void helper(void);
-
 // -- Implementation --
 
 // Exported function with so:attr.
diff --git a/testdata/lang/comments/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/comments/dst/main.c
index f24d944b..4e0ac122 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/comments/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/comments/dst/main.c
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 #include "main.h"
 
+// -- Forward declarations --
+static main_Point offset(main_Point p, so_int dx, so_int dy);
+
 // -- Variables and constants --
 
 // MaxCoord is the maximum coordinate value.
 const so_int main_MaxCoord = 1000;
 
-// -- Forward declarations --
-static main_Point offset(main_Point p, so_int dx, so_int dy);
-
 // -- Implementation --
 
 // NewPoint creates a new Point.
diff --git a/testdata/lang/defer/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/defer/dst/main.c
index 777bef5c..5ad4de3f 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/defer/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/defer/dst/main.c
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 #include "main.h"
 
-// -- Variables and constants --
-static so_int state = 0;
-
 // -- Forward declarations --
 static void xopen(so_int* x);
 static void xclose(void* a);
@@ -10,6 +7,9 @@ static void funcScope(void);
 static so_int funcWithReturn(void);
 static void blockScope(void);
 
+// -- Variables and constants --
+static so_int state = 0;
+
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static void xopen(so_int* x) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/errors/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/errors/dst/main.c
index 8d69b8df..d55bfefe 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/errors/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/errors/dst/main.c
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 #include "main.h"
 
-// -- Variables and constants --
-so_Error main_ErrOutOfTea = errors_New("no more tea available");
-
 // -- Forward declarations --
 static so_Error makeTea(so_int arg);
 static so_R_int_err work(so_int n);
 
+// -- Variables and constants --
+so_Error main_ErrOutOfTea = errors_New("no more tea available");
+
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static so_Error makeTea(so_int arg) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/export/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/export/dst/main.c
index 40f4c0cf..2da8f206 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/export/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/export/dst/main.c
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 #include "main.h"
 
+// -- Forward declarations --
+static bool someFunc(so_int x, so_int y);
+
 // -- Variables and constants --
 static const int64_t someConst = 7;
 const int64_t main_SomeConst = 7;
 static so_int someVar = 42;
 so_int main_SomeVar = 42;
 
-// -- Forward declarations --
-static bool someFunc(so_int x, so_int y);
-
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static bool someFunc(so_int x, so_int y) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/init/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/init/dst/main.c
index 71b7ef7d..0a4effb3 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/init/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/init/dst/main.c
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ typedef struct value {
     so_int x;
 } value;
 
-// -- Variables and constants --
-static so_int state = 0;
-
 // -- Forward declarations --
 static void value_init(void* self, so_int x);
 
+// -- Variables and constants --
+static so_int state = 0;
+
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static void value_init(void* self, so_int x) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/multi-file/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/multi-file/dst/main.c
index f4383bbc..4b01c744 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/multi-file/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/multi-file/dst/main.c
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 #include "main.h"
 
+// -- Forward declarations --
+static so_int add(so_int a, so_int b);
+
 // -- Variables and constants --
 static so_int x = 11;
 so_int main_Y = 22;
 static const so_int z = 33;
 
-// -- Forward declarations --
-static so_int add(so_int a, so_int b);
-
 // -- add.go --
 
 static so_int add(so_int a, so_int b) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/multi-return-err/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/multi-return-err/dst/main.c
index 029edf06..0ec7f937 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/multi-return-err/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/multi-return-err/dst/main.c
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ typedef struct pointResult {
     so_Error err;
 } pointResult;
 
-// -- Variables and constants --
-static main_File file = {0};
-
 // -- Forward declarations --
 static main_FileResult makeFile(so_int size);
 static so_R_ptr_err returnPtr(void);
@@ -30,6 +27,9 @@ static so_R_str_err returnString(void);
 static so_R_slice_err returnSlice(void);
 static so_R_int_err forwardCall(void);
 
+// -- Variables and constants --
+static main_File file = {0};
+
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static main_FileResult makeFile(so_int size) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/packages/dst/geom/geom.c b/testdata/lang/packages/dst/geom/geom.c
index 0717f10c..08888450 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/packages/dst/geom/geom.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/packages/dst/geom/geom.c
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #include "geom.h"
 
-// -- Variables and constants --
-const double geom_Pi = 3.14159;
-
 // -- Forward declarations --
 static double rectArea(double width, double height);
 
+// -- Variables and constants --
+const double geom_Pi = 3.14159;
+
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static double rectArea(double width, double height) {
diff --git a/testdata/lang/panic/dst/main.c b/testdata/lang/panic/dst/main.c
index a2837355..7fd842f9 100644
--- a/testdata/lang/panic/dst/main.c
+++ b/testdata/lang/panic/dst/main.c
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 #include "main.h"
 
-// -- Variables and constants --
-so_Error main_ErrNotFound = errors_New("not found");
-
 // -- Forward declarations --
 static void panicLiteral(void);
 static void panicString(void);
 static void panicError(void);
 
+// -- Variables and constants --
+so_Error main_ErrNotFound = errors_New("not found");
+
 // -- Implementation --
 
 static void panicLiteral(void) {