diff --git a/Python/pathconfig.c b/Python/pathconfig.c
index 6abc648769f..e37b5612366 100644
--- a/Python/pathconfig.c
+++ b/Python/pathconfig.c
@@ -240,9 +240,8 @@ config_init_module_search_paths(PyConfig *config, _PyPathConfig *pathconfig)
 
     const wchar_t *sys_path = pathconfig->module_search_path;
     const wchar_t delim = DELIM;
-    const wchar_t *p = sys_path;
     while (1) {
-        p = wcschr(sys_path, delim);
+        const wchar_t *p = wcschr(sys_path, delim);
         if (p == NULL) {
             p = sys_path + wcslen(sys_path); /* End of string */
         }