diff --git a/base/range.jl b/base/range.jl
index ae2274f9330af..554b9148d1abe 100644
--- a/base/range.jl
+++ b/base/range.jl
@@ -156,12 +156,6 @@ function frange{T<:FloatingPoint}(start::T, step::T, stop::T)
     start, step, one(step), floor(r)+1
 end
 
-colon{T<:FloatingPoint}(start::T, step::T, stop::T) =
-          step == 0              ? error("step cannot be zero in colon syntax") :
-         start == stop           ? FloatRange{T}(start,step,1,1) :
-    (0 < step) != (start < stop) ? FloatRange{T}(start,step,1,0) :
-                                   FloatRange{T}(frange(start,step,stop)...)
-
 similar(r::Ranges, T::Type, dims::Dims) = Array(T, dims)
 
 length(r::Ranges) = integer(r.len)
diff --git a/base/sysimg.jl b/base/sysimg.jl
index 0f50460ade6ed..c7ab107906e77 100644
--- a/base/sysimg.jl
+++ b/base/sysimg.jl
@@ -119,6 +119,13 @@ include("cartesian.jl")
 using .Cartesian
 include("multidimensional.jl")
 
+# FIXME: #5885
+colon{T<:FloatingPoint}(start::T, step::T, stop::T) =
+          step == 0              ? error("step cannot be zero in colon syntax") :
+         start == stop           ? FloatRange{T}(start,step,1,1) :
+    (0 < step) != (start < stop) ? FloatRange{T}(start,step,1,0) :
+                                   FloatRange{T}(frange(start,step,stop)...)
+
 # core math functions
 include("floatfuncs.jl")
 include("math.jl")