diff --git a/client/chatline.cpp b/client/chatline.cpp
index 59a6531c6b..5a4a47ae1f 100644
--- a/client/chatline.cpp
+++ b/client/chatline.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
 
 static bool is_plain_public_message(const QString &s);
 
-FC_CPP_DECLARE_LISTENER(chat_listener)
 QStringList chat_listener::history = QStringList();
 
 namespace {
diff --git a/client/listener.h b/client/listener.h
index a801003185..a4dab190e8 100644
--- a/client/listener.h
+++ b/client/listener.h
@@ -27,13 +27,6 @@
   };
   ~~~~~
 
-  The listener needs some static data. Declaring it is as simple as putting
-  a macro in some source file:
-
-  ~~~~~{.cpp}
-  FC_CPP_DECLARE_LISTENER(foo_listener)
-  ~~~~~
-
   Then, you call the listeners from the implementation of the C interface:
 
   ~~~~~{.cpp}
@@ -104,7 +97,7 @@ template <class _type_> class listener {
 
 private:
   // All instances of type_t that have called listen().
-  static std::set<listener<type_t> *> instances;
+  inline static std::set<listener<type_t> *> instances{};
 
 protected:
   explicit listener();
@@ -117,14 +110,6 @@ template <class _type_> class listener {
   static void invoke(_member_fct_ function, _args_ &&...args);
 };
 
-/***************************************************************************
-  Macro to declare the static data needed by listener<> classes
-***************************************************************************/
-#define FC_CPP_DECLARE_LISTENER(_type_)                                     \
-  template <>                                                               \
-  std::set<listener<_type_> *> listener<_type_>::instances =                \
-      std::set<listener<_type_> *>();
-
 /***************************************************************************
   Constructor
 ***************************************************************************/
diff --git a/client/map_updates_handler.cpp b/client/map_updates_handler.cpp
index 81969cb92d..58d154b0ce 100644
--- a/client/map_updates_handler.cpp
+++ b/client/map_updates_handler.cpp
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@
 #include "options.h"
 #include "tileset/tilespec.h"
 
-FC_CPP_DECLARE_LISTENER(freeciv::map_updates_handler)
-
 namespace freeciv {
 
 /**