diff --git a/scripts/sipify.pl b/scripts/sipify.pl
index 385509f019c..7c1ed425002 100755
--- a/scripts/sipify.pl
+++ b/scripts/sipify.pl
@@ -410,7 +410,11 @@ while ($line_idx < $line_count){
         do {no warnings 'uninitialized';
             push @CLASSNAME, $3;
             dbg_info("class: ".$CLASSNAME[$#CLASSNAME]);
-            $EXPORTED[-1]++ if $line =~ m/\b[A-Z]+_EXPORT\b/;
+            if ($line =~ m/\b[A-Z]+_EXPORT\b/ || $#CLASSNAME != 0 || $lines[$line_idx-2] =~ m/^\s*template</){
+                # class should be exported except those not at top level or template classes
+                # if class is not exported, then its methods should be (checked whenever leaving out the class)
+                $EXPORTED[-1]++;
+            }
         };
         $line = "$1 $3";
         # Inheritance
@@ -490,7 +494,7 @@ while ($line_idx < $line_count){
                     pop(@global_bracket_nesting_index);
                     pop(@ACCESS);
                     die "Class $CLASSNAME[$#CLASSNAME] in $headerfile at line $line_idx should be exported with appropriate [LIB]_EXPORT macro. If this should not be available in python, wrap it in a `#ifndef SIP_RUN` block."
-                        if $EXPORTED[-1] == 0 && $#CLASSNAME == 0;
+                        if $EXPORTED[-1] == 0;
                     pop @EXPORTED;
                 }
                 pop(@CLASSNAME);
diff --git a/src/core/qgsfeatureiterator.h b/src/core/qgsfeatureiterator.h
index eccce2cfed1..9720ff404f9 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsfeatureiterator.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsfeatureiterator.h
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsAbstractFeatureIterator
  * \note not available in Python bindings (although present in SIP file)
 */
 template<typename T>
-class CORE_EXPORT QgsAbstractFeatureIteratorFromSource : public QgsAbstractFeatureIterator
+class QgsAbstractFeatureIteratorFromSource : public QgsAbstractFeatureIterator
 {
   public:
     QgsAbstractFeatureIteratorFromSource( T *source, bool ownSource, const QgsFeatureRequest &request )