diff --git a/include/mbedtls/aes.h b/include/mbedtls/aes.h
index eb75935..5c07b91 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/aes.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/aes.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include "mbedtls/private_access.h"
 
 #include "mbedtls/build_info.h"
+#include "mbedtls/platform_util.h"
 
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
diff --git a/include/mbedtls/build_info.h b/include/mbedtls/build_info.h
index 4671760..23f85ba 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/build_info.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/build_info.h
@@ -53,24 +53,6 @@
 #define _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE 1
 #endif
 
-/** \def MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN
- *
- * This macro appearing at the beginning of the declaration of a function
- * indicates that its return value should be checked.
- *
- * This should appear before most functions returning an error code
- * (as \c int in the \c mbedtls_xxx API or
- * as ::psa_status_t in the \c psa_xxx API).
- */
-#if defined(__GNUC__)
-#define MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
-#elif defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER >= 1700
-#include <sal.h>
-#define MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN _Check_return_
-#else
-#define MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN
-#endif
-
 #if !defined(MBEDTLS_CONFIG_FILE)
 #include "mbedtls/mbedtls_config.h"
 #else
diff --git a/include/mbedtls/des.h b/include/mbedtls/des.h
index 7bd618c..d5289d3 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/des.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/des.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "mbedtls/private_access.h"
 
 #include "mbedtls/build_info.h"
+#include "mbedtls/platform_util.h"
 
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
diff --git a/include/mbedtls/platform_util.h b/include/mbedtls/platform_util.h
index 1a0a135..9c64cfd 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/platform_util.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/platform_util.h
@@ -60,6 +60,26 @@
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_DEPRECATED_WARNING */
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_DEPRECATED_REMOVED */
 
+/** \def MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN
+ *
+ * This macro appearing at the beginning of the declaration of a function
+ * indicates that its return value should be checked.
+ *
+ * This should appear before most functions returning an error code
+ * (as \c int in the \c mbedtls_xxx API or
+ * as ::psa_status_t in the \c psa_xxx API).
+ */
+#if !defined(MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN)
+#if defined(__GNUC__)
+#define MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN __attribute__((warn_unused_result))
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER >= 1700
+#include <sal.h>
+#define MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN _Check_return_
+#else
+#define MBEDTLS_CHECK_RETURN
+#endif
+#endif
+
 /**
  * \brief       Securely zeroize a buffer
  *