diff --git a/src/nvim/quickfix.c b/src/nvim/quickfix.c
index 2d8100595f..af1db1956b 100644
--- a/src/nvim/quickfix.c
+++ b/src/nvim/quickfix.c
@@ -1059,6 +1059,7 @@ static int qf_init_ext(qf_info_T *qi, int qf_idx, const char *restrict efile, bu
 {
   qfstate_T state = { 0 };
   qffields_T fields = { 0 };
+  qfline_T *old_last = NULL;
   static efm_T *fmt_first = NULL;
   static char *last_efm = NULL;
   int retval = -1;                      // default: return error flag
@@ -1072,7 +1073,6 @@ static int qf_init_ext(qf_info_T *qi, int qf_idx, const char *restrict efile, bu
   }
 
   qf_list_T *qfl;
-  qfline_T *old_last = NULL;
   bool adding = false;
   if (newlist || qf_idx == qi->qf_listcount) {
     // make place for a new list