diff --git a/bindgen/ir/IR.cpp b/bindgen/ir/IR.cpp
index ebbd4e8..b971b64 100644
--- a/bindgen/ir/IR.cpp
+++ b/bindgen/ir/IR.cpp
@@ -80,9 +80,7 @@ llvm::raw_ostream &operator<<(llvm::raw_ostream &s, const IR &ir) {
         }
 
         for (const auto &varDefine : ir.varDefines) {
-            s << "  @name(\"" << varDefine.getVarName() << "\")\n"
-              << "  def " << varDefine.getName() << ": " << varDefine.getType()
-              << " = native.extern\n";
+            s << varDefine;
         }
 
         for (const auto &func : ir.functions) {
diff --git a/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.cpp b/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.cpp
index 7c6bc2c..aebe9ee 100644
--- a/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.cpp
+++ b/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.cpp
@@ -7,3 +7,11 @@ VarDefine::VarDefine(std::string name, std::string varName, std::string type)
 std::string VarDefine::getVarName() const { return varName; }
 
 std::string VarDefine::getType() const { return type; }
+
+llvm::raw_ostream &operator<<(llvm::raw_ostream &s,
+                              const VarDefine &varDefine) {
+    s << "  @name(\"" << varDefine.getVarName() << "\")\n"
+      << "  val " << varDefine.getName() << ": " << varDefine.getType()
+      << " = native.extern\n";
+    return s;
+}
diff --git a/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.h b/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.h
index fe05287..6a7cdb9 100644
--- a/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.h
+++ b/bindgen/ir/VarDefine.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define SCALA_NATIVE_BINDGEN_VARDEFINE_H
 
 #include "Define.h"
+#include <llvm/Support/raw_ostream.h>
 
 class VarDefine : public Define {
   public:
@@ -11,6 +12,9 @@ class VarDefine : public Define {
 
     std::string getType() const;
 
+    friend llvm::raw_ostream &operator<<(llvm::raw_ostream &s,
+                                         const VarDefine &varDefine);
+
   private:
     std::string varName;
     std::string type;
diff --git a/tests/samples/VarDefine.c b/tests/samples/VarDefine.c
index 59f69fc..0bb9376 100644
--- a/tests/samples/VarDefine.c
+++ b/tests/samples/VarDefine.c
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 #include "VarDefine.h"
 
 int a = 23;
-
-int getA() { return a; }
diff --git a/tests/samples/VarDefine.h b/tests/samples/VarDefine.h
index 86d2818..8e9e0a5 100644
--- a/tests/samples/VarDefine.h
+++ b/tests/samples/VarDefine.h
@@ -9,5 +9,3 @@ extern int c;
 
 extern float f;
 #define __PRIVATE f // should be filtered
-
-int getA();
diff --git a/tests/samples/VarDefine.scala b/tests/samples/VarDefine.scala
index badd4f6..bb32284 100644
--- a/tests/samples/VarDefine.scala
+++ b/tests/samples/VarDefine.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,5 @@ import scala.scalanative.native._
 @native.extern
 object VarDefine {
   @name("a")
-  def A: native.CInt = native.extern
-  def getA(): native.CInt = native.extern
+  val A: native.CInt = native.extern
 }
diff --git a/tests/samples/src/test/scala/org/scalanative/bindgen/samples/VarDefineTests.scala b/tests/samples/src/test/scala/org/scalanative/bindgen/samples/VarDefineTests.scala
index 778b966..4480323 100644
--- a/tests/samples/src/test/scala/org/scalanative/bindgen/samples/VarDefineTests.scala
+++ b/tests/samples/src/test/scala/org/scalanative/bindgen/samples/VarDefineTests.scala
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import utest._
 object VarDefineTests extends TestSuite {
   val tests = Tests {
     'getA - {
-      assert(VarDefine.getA() == 23)
+      assert(VarDefine.A == 23)
     }
   }
 }