How about just adding a couple of new pragmas: {-# INCLUDE_PRIVATE "foo/bar.h" #-} {-# INCLUDE_PACKAGE "foo/bar.h" #-} both pragmas apply to all the foreign imports in the current module, just like the existing INCLUDE pragma. Additionally, INCLUDE_PRIVATE prevents any foreign import from being inlined outside the current module, and INCLUDE_PACKAGE does the same but for the package (this requires a little more support from GHC). We can then describe more accurately what is means to give an include file on a particular foreign import: it means the same as INCLUDE_PRIVATE, but for this foreign import only. The problem you mentioned, namely that people use a private header file but don't export it with the package, only happens when they explicitly use {-# INCLUDE #-} or -#include flags, right? In that case, we can have Cabal check that all {-# INCLUDE #-} files are properly exported with the package, and discourage the use of explicit -#include options. Is that enough? Cheers, Simon