diff --git a/include/gds-render/output-renderers/external-renderer-interfaces.h b/include/gds-render/output-renderers/external-renderer-interfaces.h
index bef73c2..e6f3043 100644
--- a/include/gds-render/output-renderers/external-renderer-interfaces.h
+++ b/include/gds-render/output-renderers/external-renderer-interfaces.h
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@
  */
 #define EXPORT_FUNC __attribute__((visibility("default")))
 
+/**
+ * @brief This define is used to export a variable symbol from a shared object
+ */
+#define EXPORT_VAR EXPORT_FUNC
+
 /**
  * @brief Function name expected to be found in external library for rendering.
  *
@@ -63,8 +68,10 @@
 
 /**
  * @brief Define for declaring exported variables
+ *
+ * This not only helps with the declaration but also makes the symbols visible, so they can be accessed form outside the library
  */
-#define VAR_DECL(VAR) VAR
+#define EXPORTED_VAR_DECL(VAR) EXPORT_VAR VAR
 
 /** @} */
 
diff --git a/plugins/plugin-example/src/plugin-main.c b/plugins/plugin-example/src/plugin-main.c
index ce991e0..f32c63c 100644
--- a/plugins/plugin-example/src/plugin-main.c
+++ b/plugins/plugin-example/src/plugin-main.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int EXPORTED_FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_INIT_FUNCTION)(const char *params, const
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_FINALIZE_FUNCTION)(void)
+int EXPORTED_FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_FINALIZE_FUNCTION)(void)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/python-renderer/src/force-fork.c b/plugins/python-renderer/src/force-fork.c
index 60ffd8c..463a756 100644
--- a/plugins/python-renderer/src/force-fork.c
+++ b/plugins/python-renderer/src/force-fork.c
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 
 #include <gds-render/output-renderers/external-renderer-interfaces.h>
 
-const int VAR_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_FORK_REQUEST) = 0;
+/* The precense of this variable tells the gds-render application to execute this plugin in a separate process
+ * The variable's value is don't care
+ */
+const int EXPORTED_VAR_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_FORK_REQUEST) = 1;
 
 /** @} */
diff --git a/plugins/python-renderer/src/plugin-main.c b/plugins/python-renderer/src/plugin-main.c
index 4899e60..565cdde 100644
--- a/plugins/python-renderer/src/plugin-main.c
+++ b/plugins/python-renderer/src/plugin-main.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
  */
 static PyObject *p_module = NULL;
 
-int FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_RENDER_FUNCTION)(struct gds_cell *toplevel, GList *layer_info_list, const char *output_file_name, double scale)
+int EXPORTED_FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_RENDER_FUNCTION)(struct gds_cell *toplevel, GList *layer_info_list, const char *output_file_name, double scale)
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 	PyObject *p_render_func;
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ return_value:
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_INIT_FUNCTION)(const char *params, const char *version)
+int EXPORTED_FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_INIT_FUNCTION)(const char *params, const char *version)
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 	PyObject *p_name;
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ return_value:
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_FINALIZE_FUNCTION)(void)
+int EXPORTED_FUNC_DECL(EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_FINALIZE_FUNCTION)(void)
 {
 	int ret;