diff --git a/gdb/buildsym.c b/gdb/buildsym.c
index aa7191d785b..620f252114d 100644
--- a/gdb/buildsym.c
+++ b/gdb/buildsym.c
@@ -214,6 +214,8 @@ struct buildsym_compunit
   /* The stack of contexts that are pushed by push_context and popped
      by pop_context.  */
   std::vector<struct context_stack> m_context_stack;
+
+  struct subfile *m_current_subfile = nullptr;
 };
 
 /* The work-in-progress of the compunit we are building.
@@ -761,7 +763,7 @@ start_subfile (const char *name)
 
       if (FILENAME_CMP (subfile_name, name) == 0)
 	{
-	  current_subfile = subfile;
+	  buildsym_compunit->m_current_subfile = subfile;
 	  if (subfile_name != subfile->name)
 	    xfree (subfile_name);
 	  return;
@@ -779,7 +781,7 @@ start_subfile (const char *name)
   subfile->next = buildsym_compunit->subfiles;
   buildsym_compunit->subfiles = subfile;
 
-  current_subfile = subfile;
+  buildsym_compunit->m_current_subfile = subfile;
 
   subfile->name = xstrdup (name);
 
@@ -839,7 +841,6 @@ free_buildsym_compunit (void)
     return;
   delete buildsym_compunit;
   buildsym_compunit = NULL;
-  current_subfile = NULL;
 }
 
 /* For stabs readers, the first N_SO symbol is assumed to be the
@@ -895,8 +896,10 @@ void
 push_subfile ()
 {
   gdb_assert (buildsym_compunit != nullptr);
-  gdb_assert (current_subfile != NULL && current_subfile->name != NULL);
-  buildsym_compunit->m_subfile_stack.push_back (current_subfile->name);
+  gdb_assert (buildsym_compunit->m_current_subfile != NULL);
+  gdb_assert (buildsym_compunit->m_current_subfile->name != NULL);
+  buildsym_compunit->m_subfile_stack.push_back
+    (buildsym_compunit->m_current_subfile->name);
 }
 
 const char *
@@ -1029,7 +1032,6 @@ prepare_for_building ()
   gdb_assert (file_symbols == NULL);
   gdb_assert (global_symbols == NULL);
   gdb_assert (pending_addrmap == NULL);
-  gdb_assert (current_subfile == NULL);
   gdb_assert (buildsym_compunit == nullptr);
 }
 
@@ -1068,7 +1070,7 @@ start_symtab (struct objfile *objfile, const char *name, const char *comp_dir,
   start_subfile (name);
   /* Save this so that we don't have to go looking for it at the end
      of the subfiles list.  */
-  buildsym_compunit->main_subfile = current_subfile;
+  buildsym_compunit->main_subfile = buildsym_compunit->m_current_subfile;
 
   return buildsym_compunit->compunit_symtab;
 }
@@ -1755,6 +1757,15 @@ get_context_stack_depth ()
   return buildsym_compunit->m_context_stack.size ();
 }
 
+/* See buildsym.h.  */
+
+struct subfile *
+get_current_subfile ()
+{
+  gdb_assert (buildsym_compunit != nullptr);
+  return buildsym_compunit->m_current_subfile;
+}
+
 
 
 /* Initialize anything that needs initializing when starting to read a
diff --git a/gdb/buildsym.h b/gdb/buildsym.h
index 32a2e1b7b7b..9a4856d234d 100644
--- a/gdb/buildsym.h
+++ b/gdb/buildsym.h
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ struct subfile
   struct symtab *symtab;
 };
 
-EXTERN struct subfile *current_subfile;
-
 /* Record the symbols defined for each context in a list.  We don't
    create a struct block for the context until we know how long to
    make it.  */
@@ -274,6 +272,10 @@ extern struct context_stack *get_current_context_stack ();
 
 extern int get_context_stack_depth ();
 
+/* Return the current subfile.  */
+
+extern struct subfile *get_current_subfile ();
+
 #undef EXTERN
 
 #endif /* defined (BUILDSYM_H) */
diff --git a/gdb/coffread.c b/gdb/coffread.c
index 718c3342066..758cd49b394 100644
--- a/gdb/coffread.c
+++ b/gdb/coffread.c
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ coff_symtab_read (minimal_symbol_reader &reader,
 	     language_unknown, since such a ``file name'' is not
 	     recognized.  Override that with the minimal language to
 	     allow printing values in this symtab.  */
-	  current_subfile->language = language_minimal;
+	  get_current_subfile ()->language = language_minimal;
 	  complete_symtab ("_globals_", 0, 0);
 	  /* Done with all files, everything from here on out is
 	     globals.  */
@@ -1128,7 +1128,7 @@ coff_symtab_read (minimal_symbol_reader &reader,
 	         of the closing '}', and for which we do not have any
 	         other statement-line-number.  */
 	      if (fcn_last_line == 1)
-		record_line (current_subfile, fcn_first_line,
+		record_line (get_current_subfile (), fcn_first_line,
 			     gdbarch_addr_bits_remove (gdbarch,
 						       fcn_first_line_addr));
 	      else
@@ -1504,7 +1504,7 @@ enter_linenos (long file_offset, int first_line,
 	  CORE_ADDR addr = lptr.l_addr.l_paddr;
 	  addr += ANOFFSET (objfile->section_offsets,
 			    SECT_OFF_TEXT (objfile));
-	  record_line (current_subfile,
+	  record_line (get_current_subfile (),
 		       first_line + L_LNNO32 (&lptr),
 		       gdbarch_addr_bits_remove (gdbarch, addr));
 	}
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ process_coff_symbol (struct coff_symbol *cs,
 
   name = cs->c_name;
   name = EXTERNAL_NAME (name, objfile->obfd);
-  SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, current_subfile->language,
+  SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, get_current_subfile ()->language,
 		       &objfile->objfile_obstack);
   SYMBOL_SET_NAMES (sym, name, strlen (name), 1, objfile);
 
diff --git a/gdb/dbxread.c b/gdb/dbxread.c
index ad3f2a91bf6..b5cec28ae48 100644
--- a/gdb/dbxread.c
+++ b/gdb/dbxread.c
@@ -2508,7 +2508,7 @@ process_one_symbol (int type, int desc, CORE_ADDR valu, const char *name,
 	    {
 	      CORE_ADDR addr = last_function_start + valu;
 
-	      record_line (current_subfile, 0,
+	      record_line (get_current_subfile (), 0,
 			   gdbarch_addr_bits_remove (gdbarch, addr));
 	    }
 
@@ -2642,7 +2642,7 @@ process_one_symbol (int type, int desc, CORE_ADDR valu, const char *name,
 	     name.  Patch things up.  */
 	  if (previous_stab_code == (unsigned char) N_SO)
 	    {
-	      patch_subfile_names (current_subfile, name);
+	      patch_subfile_names (get_current_subfile (), name);
 	      break;		/* Ignore repeated SOs.  */
 	    }
 	  end_symtab (valu, SECT_OFF_TEXT (objfile));
@@ -2712,12 +2712,12 @@ process_one_symbol (int type, int desc, CORE_ADDR valu, const char *name,
 	  CORE_ADDR addr = processing_gcc_compilation == 2 ?
 			   last_function_start : valu;
 
-	  record_line (current_subfile, desc,
+	  record_line (get_current_subfile (), desc,
 		       gdbarch_addr_bits_remove (gdbarch, addr));
 	  sline_found_in_function = 1;
 	}
       else
-	record_line (current_subfile, desc,
+	record_line (get_current_subfile (), desc,
 		     gdbarch_addr_bits_remove (gdbarch, valu));
       break;
 
diff --git a/gdb/dwarf2read.c b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
index 859419e9d4b..62c87e635e6 100644
--- a/gdb/dwarf2read.c
+++ b/gdb/dwarf2read.c
@@ -11574,18 +11574,18 @@ setup_type_unit_groups (struct die_info *die, struct dwarf2_cu *cu)
 
 	  dwarf2_start_subfile (fe.name, fe.include_dir (cu->line_header));
 
-	  if (current_subfile->symtab == NULL)
+	  if (get_current_subfile ()->symtab == NULL)
 	    {
 	      /* NOTE: start_subfile will recognize when it's been
 		 passed a file it has already seen.  So we can't
 		 assume there's a simple mapping from
 		 cu->line_header->file_names to subfiles, plus
 		 cu->line_header->file_names may contain dups.  */
-	      current_subfile->symtab
-		= allocate_symtab (cust, current_subfile->name);
+	      get_current_subfile ()->symtab
+		= allocate_symtab (cust, get_current_subfile ()->name);
 	    }
 
-	  fe.symtab = current_subfile->symtab;
+	  fe.symtab = get_current_subfile ()->symtab;
 	  tu_group->symtabs[i] = fe.symtab;
 	}
     }
@@ -20461,7 +20461,7 @@ lnp_state_machine::handle_set_file (file_name_index file)
     {
       const char *dir = fe->include_dir (m_line_header);
 
-      m_last_subfile = current_subfile;
+      m_last_subfile = get_current_subfile ();
       m_line_has_non_zero_discriminator = m_discriminator != 0;
       dwarf2_start_subfile (fe->name, dir);
     }
@@ -20526,7 +20526,7 @@ dwarf_record_line_p (unsigned int line, unsigned int last_line,
 		     int line_has_non_zero_discriminator,
 		     struct subfile *last_subfile)
 {
-  if (current_subfile != last_subfile)
+  if (get_current_subfile () != last_subfile)
     return 1;
   if (line != last_line)
     return 1;
@@ -20607,7 +20607,7 @@ lnp_state_machine::record_line (bool end_sequence)
       fe->included_p = 1;
       if (m_record_lines_p && m_is_stmt)
 	{
-	  if (m_last_subfile != current_subfile || end_sequence)
+	  if (m_last_subfile != get_current_subfile () || end_sequence)
 	    {
 	      dwarf_finish_line (m_gdbarch, m_last_subfile,
 				 m_address, m_record_line_callback);
@@ -20619,11 +20619,11 @@ lnp_state_machine::record_line (bool end_sequence)
 				       m_line_has_non_zero_discriminator,
 				       m_last_subfile))
 		{
-		  dwarf_record_line_1 (m_gdbarch, current_subfile,
+		  dwarf_record_line_1 (m_gdbarch, get_current_subfile (),
 				       m_line, m_address,
 				       m_record_line_callback);
 		}
-	      m_last_subfile = current_subfile;
+	      m_last_subfile = get_current_subfile ();
 	      m_last_line = m_line;
 	    }
 	}
@@ -20954,12 +20954,12 @@ dwarf_decode_lines (struct line_header *lh, const char *comp_dir,
 
 	  dwarf2_start_subfile (fe.name, fe.include_dir (lh));
 
-	  if (current_subfile->symtab == NULL)
+	  if (get_current_subfile ()->symtab == NULL)
 	    {
-	      current_subfile->symtab
-		= allocate_symtab (cust, current_subfile->name);
+	      get_current_subfile ()->symtab
+		= allocate_symtab (cust, get_current_subfile ()->name);
 	    }
-	  fe.symtab = current_subfile->symtab;
+	  fe.symtab = get_current_subfile ()->symtab;
 	}
     }
 }
diff --git a/gdb/mdebugread.c b/gdb/mdebugread.c
index 8b1db999773..a22cf84aa36 100644
--- a/gdb/mdebugread.c
+++ b/gdb/mdebugread.c
@@ -4056,7 +4056,7 @@ psymtab_to_symtab_1 (struct objfile *objfile,
 		  /* Handle encoded stab line number.  */
 		  valu += ANOFFSET (section_offsets,
 				    SECT_OFF_TEXT (objfile));
-		  record_line (current_subfile, sh.index,
+		  record_line (get_current_subfile (), sh.index,
 			       gdbarch_addr_bits_remove (gdbarch, valu));
 		}
 	    }
diff --git a/gdb/stabsread.c b/gdb/stabsread.c
index 50ca0e414f1..ad7b459d722 100644
--- a/gdb/stabsread.c
+++ b/gdb/stabsread.c
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ define_symbol (CORE_ADDR valu, const char *string, int desc, int type,
       SYMBOL_LINE (sym) = 0;	/* unknown */
     }
 
-  SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, current_subfile->language,
+  SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, get_current_subfile ()->language,
 		       &objfile->objfile_obstack);
 
   if (is_cplus_marker (string[0]))
@@ -1296,7 +1296,7 @@ define_symbol (CORE_ADDR valu, const char *string, int desc, int type,
 		 */
 
 	      /* Pascal accepts names for pointer types.  */
-	      if (current_subfile->language == language_pascal)
+	      if (get_current_subfile ()->language == language_pascal)
 		{
 		  TYPE_NAME (SYMBOL_TYPE (sym)) = SYMBOL_LINKAGE_NAME (sym);
           	}
@@ -1638,7 +1638,7 @@ again:
 		return error_type (pp, objfile);
 	    }
 	  type_name = NULL;
-	  if (current_subfile->language == language_cplus)
+	  if (get_current_subfile ()->language == language_cplus)
 	    {
 	      char *name = (char *) alloca (p - *pp + 1);
 
@@ -3678,7 +3678,7 @@ read_enum_type (const char **pp, struct type *type,
 
       sym = allocate_symbol (objfile);
       SYMBOL_SET_LINKAGE_NAME (sym, name);
-      SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, current_subfile->language,
+      SYMBOL_SET_LANGUAGE (sym, get_current_subfile ()->language,
 			   &objfile->objfile_obstack);
       SYMBOL_ACLASS_INDEX (sym) = LOC_CONST;
       SYMBOL_DOMAIN (sym) = VAR_DOMAIN;
diff --git a/gdb/xcoffread.c b/gdb/xcoffread.c
index 785de290a66..98efa969c38 100644
--- a/gdb/xcoffread.c
+++ b/gdb/xcoffread.c
@@ -713,6 +713,7 @@ process_linenos (CORE_ADDR start, CORE_ADDR end)
       /* Line numbers are not necessarily ordered.  xlc compilation will
          put static function to the end.  */
 
+      struct subfile *current_subfile = get_current_subfile ();
       lineTb = arrange_linetable (lv);
       if (lv == lineTb)
 	{
@@ -775,8 +776,9 @@ process_linenos (CORE_ADDR start, CORE_ADDR end)
 	    if (fakename == NULL)
 	      fakename = " ?";
 	    start_subfile (fakename);
-	    xfree (current_subfile->name);
+	    xfree (get_current_subfile ()->name);
 	  }
+	  struct subfile *current_subfile = get_current_subfile ();
 	  current_subfile->name = xstrdup (inclTable[ii].name);
 #endif
 
