diff --git a/src/cmd/gotest/gotest.go b/src/cmd/gotest/gotest.go
index a041230f1ef..b6920639314 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gotest/gotest.go
+++ b/src/cmd/gotest/gotest.go
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ func setEnvironment() {
 func getTestFileNames() {
 	names := fileNames
 	if len(names) == 0 {
+		var err os.Error
 		names, err = filepath.Glob("[^.]*_test.go")
 		if err != nil {
 			Fatalf("Glob pattern error: %s", err)