diff --git a/src/spellfile.c b/src/spellfile.c
index fc365e2..8a029dc 100644
--- a/src/spellfile.c
+++ b/src/spellfile.c
@@ -993,7 +993,6 @@
     salitem_T	*smp;
     int		ccnt;
     char_u	*p;
-    int		c = NUL;
 
     slang->sl_sofo = FALSE;
 
@@ -1017,6 +1016,8 @@
     // <sal> : <salfromlen> <salfrom> <saltolen> <salto>
     for (; gap->ga_len < cnt; ++gap->ga_len)
     {
+	int	c = NUL;
+
 	smp = &((salitem_T *)gap->ga_data)[gap->ga_len];
 	ccnt = getc(fd);			// <salfromlen>
 	if (ccnt < 0)