diff --git a/dcapi/examples/serialize-example/common.h b/dcapi/examples/serialize-example/common.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee05c5dd5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dcapi/examples/serialize-example/common.h
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/*
+ * Common definitions used by both the master and the client
+ */
+
+#ifndef COMMON_H
+#define COMMON_H
+
+/* Logical names of the input/output files */
+#define INPUT_LABEL		"in.txt"
+#define OUTPUT_LABEL		"out.txt"
+
+#endif /* COMMON_H */
diff --git a/dcapi/examples/serialize-example/master.c b/dcapi/examples/serialize-example/master.c
index 259d5737df..d9a2c110c3 100644
--- a/dcapi/examples/serialize-example/master.c
+++ b/dcapi/examples/serialize-example/master.c
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
  *
  *****************************************************/
 
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
 #include <dc.h>
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -29,11 +33,11 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#define CHECKPOINT_LABEL	"ckpt.txt"
-#define INPUT_LABEL		"in.txt"
-#define OUTPUT_LABEL		"out.txt"
+#include "common.h"
 
-static int finished_wus = 0;
+#define CHECKPOINT_LABEL	"ckpt.txt"
+
+static int finished_wus;
 
 static DC_Workunit *workunit;
 
@@ -51,7 +55,7 @@ static void create_ckpt(void)
 	char *ckpt;
 
 	f = fopen(CHECKPOINT_LABEL, "w");
-	if(!f)
+	if (!f)
 	{
 		DC_log(LOG_ERR, "Failed to open ckpt file (%s) for writing.", CHECKPOINT_LABEL);
 		exit(1);