diff --git a/env.c b/env.c
index 4016d6156..9a0b4a204 100644
--- a/env.c
+++ b/env.c
@@ -149,12 +149,10 @@ char **
 zero_env(envp)
     char **envp;
 {
-    char **ep, **nep;
     static char *newenv[8];
+    char **ep, **nep = newenv;
     extern char *prev_user;
 
-    nep = newenv;
-
     for (ep = envp; *ep; ep++) {
 	switch (**ep) {
 	    case 'H':