diff --git a/src/plugins/select/serial/select_serial.c b/src/plugins/select/serial/select_serial.c
index ed0bd3e0c09370da5b470e4cd71d663c889536bf..e65216498493d219e19703132e4e71e6303abfcc 100644
--- a/src/plugins/select/serial/select_serial.c
+++ b/src/plugins/select/serial/select_serial.c
@@ -1745,6 +1745,11 @@ extern bitstr_t *select_p_step_pick_nodes(struct job_record *job_ptr,
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+extern int select_p_step_start(struct step_record *step_ptr)
+{
+	return SLURM_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 extern int select_p_step_finish(struct step_record *step_ptr)
 {
 	return SLURM_SUCCESS;