diff --git a/drivers/hv/channel_mgmt.c b/drivers/hv/channel_mgmt.c
index ffd7fffa5f83..fde806d6525b 100644
--- a/drivers/hv/channel_mgmt.c
+++ b/drivers/hv/channel_mgmt.c
@@ -400,7 +400,6 @@ static void vmbus_release_relid(u32 relid)
 
 void hv_process_channel_removal(struct vmbus_channel *channel)
 {
-	struct vmbus_channel *primary_channel;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&vmbus_connection.channel_mutex);
@@ -425,10 +424,8 @@ void hv_process_channel_removal(struct vmbus_channel *channel)
 
 	if (channel->primary_channel == NULL) {
 		list_del(&channel->listentry);
-
-		primary_channel = channel;
 	} else {
-		primary_channel = channel->primary_channel;
+		struct vmbus_channel *primary_channel = channel->primary_channel;
 		spin_lock_irqsave(&primary_channel->lock, flags);
 		list_del(&channel->sc_list);
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&primary_channel->lock, flags);