diff --git a/src/emu/emu.h b/src/emu/emu.h
index 2e9d2b16d07..42ae35e2813 100644
--- a/src/emu/emu.h
+++ b/src/emu/emu.h
@@ -85,9 +85,6 @@ typedef device_t * (*machine_config_constructor)(machine_config &config, device_
 // timers, CPU and scheduling
 #include "devcpu.h"
 
-// networking
-#include "network.h"
-
 // the running machine
 #include "mame.h"
 #include "machine.h"
diff --git a/src/emu/machine.c b/src/emu/machine.c
index d569f1ffac8..9562d4aa32f 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine.c
+++ b/src/emu/machine.c
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
 #include "debug/debugvw.h"
 #include "image.h"
 #include "luaengine.h"
+#include "network.h"
 #include <time.h>
 
 #if defined(EMSCRIPTEN)
diff --git a/src/emu/network.h b/src/emu/network.h
index 593c5b56c41..fe1fec01016 100644
--- a/src/emu/network.h
+++ b/src/emu/network.h
@@ -9,10 +9,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#ifndef __EMU_H__
-#error Dont include this file directly; include emu.h instead.
-#endif
-
 #ifndef __NETWORK_H__
 #define __NETWORK_H__