diff --git a/src/or/control.c b/src/or/control.c
index f40089cc1a..a6065dea91 100644
--- a/src/or/control.c
+++ b/src/or/control.c
@@ -1831,12 +1831,12 @@ handle_control_attachstream(connection_t *conn, uint32_t len,
 
   /* Do we need to detach it first? */
   if (ap_conn->state != AP_CONN_STATE_CONTROLLER_WAIT) {
-    circuit_t *circ = circuit_get_by_edge_conn(conn);
+    circuit_t *tmpcirc = circuit_get_by_edge_conn(conn);
     connection_edge_end(conn, END_STREAM_REASON_TIMEOUT, conn->cpath_layer);
     /* Un-mark it as ending, since we're going to reuse it. */
     conn->has_sent_end = 0;
-    if (circ)
-      circuit_detach_stream(circ,conn);
+    if (tmpcirc)
+      circuit_detach_stream(tmpcirc,conn);
     conn->state = AP_CONN_STATE_CONTROLLER_WAIT;
   }