diff --git a/builtin-send-pack.c b/builtin-send-pack.c
index 3e70795ef92d4cf6173e869707848bfb0fc884eb..dfd3d1105d5de43c96007624170c70a4d8678064 100644
--- a/builtin-send-pack.c
+++ b/builtin-send-pack.c
@@ -374,11 +374,11 @@ static void print_helper_status(struct ref *ref)
 
 static int sideband_demux(int in, int out, void *data)
 {
-	int *fd = data;
+	int *fd = data, ret;
 #ifndef WIN32
 	close(fd[1]);
 #endif
-	int ret = recv_sideband("send-pack", fd[0], out);
+	ret = recv_sideband("send-pack", fd[0], out);
 	close(out);
 	return ret;
 }