diff --git a/Objects/longobject.c b/Objects/longobject.c
index e2d95ae51fd..2245ece8998 100644
--- a/Objects/longobject.c
+++ b/Objects/longobject.c
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ Py_ssize_t quick_int_allocs, quick_neg_int_allocs;
 static PyObject *
 get_small_int(sdigit ival)
 {
+    PyObject *v;
     assert(-NSMALLNEGINTS <= ival && ival < NSMALLPOSINTS);
-    PyObject *v = (PyObject *)&small_ints[ival + NSMALLNEGINTS];
+    v = (PyObject *)&small_ints[ival + NSMALLNEGINTS];
     Py_INCREF(v);
 #ifdef COUNT_ALLOCS
     if (ival >= 0)