diff --git a/atom/browser/ui/cocoa/atom_menu_controller.mm b/atom/browser/ui/cocoa/atom_menu_controller.mm
index 088609a28f8d..315838320d7f 100644
--- a/atom/browser/ui/cocoa/atom_menu_controller.mm
+++ b/atom/browser/ui/cocoa/atom_menu_controller.mm
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ Role kRolesMap[] = {
 }  // namespace
 
 // Menu item is located for ease of removing it from the parent owner
-NSMenuItem* recentDocumentsMenuItem_ = nil;
+static NSMenuItem* recentDocumentsMenuItem_ = nil;
 
 // TODO(sethlu): Doc & find a better naming
-NSMenu* swapMenu_ = nil;
+static NSMenu* swapMenu_ = nil;
 
 @implementation AtomMenuController