diff --git a/sys/ufs/ufs/ufs_lookup.c b/sys/ufs/ufs/ufs_lookup.c
index d72278d01855..02fda9f18642 100644
--- a/sys/ufs/ufs/ufs_lookup.c
+++ b/sys/ufs/ufs/ufs_lookup.c
@@ -1434,7 +1434,6 @@ ufs_checkpath(ino_t source_ino, ino_t parent_ino, struct inode *target, struct u
 		return (0);
 	if (target->i_number == ROOTINO)
 		return (0);
-	error = 0;
 	for (;;) {
 		error = ufs_dir_dd_ino(vp, cred, &dd_ino);
 		if (error != 0)