diff --git a/docs/unit_testing.md b/docs/unit_testing.md
index 7ef3817f186..a404fc22473 100644
--- a/docs/unit_testing.md
+++ b/docs/unit_testing.md
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ Many common QMK keycodes are recognized by `get_keycode_string()`, but not all.
 Optionally, `keycode_string_names_user` may be defined to add names for additional keycodes. For example, supposing keymap.c defines `MYMACRO1` and `MYMACRO2` as custom keycodes, the following adds their names:
 
 ```c
-const keycode_string_name_t keycode_string_names_user[] = {
+const keycode_string_name_t *keycode_string_names_user =
+(keycode_string_name_t []){
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAME(MYMACRO1),
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAME(MYMACRO2),
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAMES_END // End of table sentinel.
diff --git a/quantum/keycode_string.c b/quantum/keycode_string.c
index 369065936a8..0ba497dbcbb 100644
--- a/quantum/keycode_string.c
+++ b/quantum/keycode_string.c
@@ -92,10 +92,13 @@ static const keycode_string_name_t keycode_names[] = {
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAMES_END
 };
 // clang-format on
+
+__attribute__((weak)) const keycode_string_name_t empty_table[] = {KEYCODE_STRING_NAMES_END};
+
 /** Users can override this to define names of additional keycodes. */
-__attribute__((weak)) const keycode_string_name_t keycode_string_names_user[] = {KEYCODE_STRING_NAMES_END};
+__attribute__((weak)) const keycode_string_name_t* keycode_string_names_user = empty_table;
 /** Keyboard vendors can override this to define names of additional keycodes. */
-__attribute__((weak)) const keycode_string_name_t keycode_string_names_kb[] = {KEYCODE_STRING_NAMES_END};
+__attribute__((weak)) const keycode_string_name_t* keycode_string_names_kb = empty_table;
 /** Names of the 4 mods on each hand. */
 static const char* mod_names[4] = {PSTR("CTL"), PSTR("SFT"), PSTR("ALT"), PSTR("GUI")};
 /** Internal buffer for holding a stringified keycode. */
diff --git a/quantum/keycode_string.h b/quantum/keycode_string.h
index 1673fcfeaa9..5f4d7c2866c 100644
--- a/quantum/keycode_string.h
+++ b/quantum/keycode_string.h
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ typedef struct {
  * The above defines names for `MYMACRO1` and `MYMACRO2`, and overrides
  * `KC_EXLM` to format as "KC_EXLM" instead of the default "S(KC_1)".
  */
-extern const keycode_string_name_t keycode_string_names_user[];
+extern const keycode_string_name_t* keycode_string_names_user;
 /** Same as `keycode_string_names_user`, but for use at the keyboard level. */
-extern const keycode_string_name_t keycode_string_names_kb[];
+extern const keycode_string_name_t* keycode_string_names_kb;
 
 /** Helper to define a keycode_string_name_t. */
 #    define KEYCODE_STRING_NAME(kc) \
diff --git a/tests/keycode_string/test_keycode_string.cpp b/tests/keycode_string/test_keycode_string.cpp
index 781b5b72b75..ac90d7854cf 100644
--- a/tests/keycode_string/test_keycode_string.cpp
+++ b/tests/keycode_string/test_keycode_string.cpp
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ enum {
 };
 
 // clang-format off
-extern "C" const keycode_string_name_t keycode_string_names_kb[] = {
+extern "C" const keycode_string_name_t *keycode_string_names_kb = (keycode_string_name_t []){
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAME(MYMACRO1),
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAMES_END // End of table sentinel.
 };
-extern "C" const keycode_string_name_t keycode_string_names_user[] = {
+extern "C" const keycode_string_name_t *keycode_string_names_user = (keycode_string_name_t []){
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAME(MYMACRO2),
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAME(KC_EXLM),
     KEYCODE_STRING_NAMES_END // End of table sentinel.