diff --git a/lib/realloc.c b/lib/realloc.c
index 58044745f4..26e2e0dbfc 100644
--- a/lib/realloc.c
+++ b/lib/realloc.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ void *
 rpl_realloc (void *p, size_t n)
 {
   size_t n1 = n;
+  void *result;
 
   if (n == 0)
     {
@@ -84,15 +85,15 @@ rpl_realloc (void *p, size_t n)
     }
 
 # if !HAVE_MALLOC_PTRDIFF
-  ptrdiff_t signed_n;
+  {ptrdiff_t signed_n;
   if (ckd_add (&signed_n, n, 0))
     {
       errno = ENOMEM;
       return NULL;
-    }
+    }}
 # endif
 
-  void *result = realloc (p, n1);
+  result = realloc (p, n1);
 
 # if !HAVE_MALLOC_POSIX
   if (result == NULL)