diff --git a/softmmu/vl.c b/softmmu/vl.c
index db04f98c36..59a472a0b1 100644
--- a/softmmu/vl.c
+++ b/softmmu/vl.c
@@ -3214,7 +3214,6 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv)
                 }
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_watchdog_action: {
-                QemuOpts *opts;
                 opts = qemu_opts_create(qemu_find_opts("action"), NULL, 0, &error_abort);
                 qemu_opt_set(opts, "watchdog", optarg, &error_abort);
                 break;
@@ -3525,16 +3524,16 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv)
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_compat:
                 {
-                    CompatPolicy *opts;
+                    CompatPolicy *opts_policy;
                     Visitor *v;
 
                     v = qobject_input_visitor_new_str(optarg, NULL,
                                                       &error_fatal);
 
-                    visit_type_CompatPolicy(v, NULL, &opts, &error_fatal);
-                    QAPI_CLONE_MEMBERS(CompatPolicy, &compat_policy, opts);
+                    visit_type_CompatPolicy(v, NULL, &opts_policy, &error_fatal);
+                    QAPI_CLONE_MEMBERS(CompatPolicy, &compat_policy, opts_policy);
 
-                    qapi_free_CompatPolicy(opts);
+                    qapi_free_CompatPolicy(opts_policy);
                     visit_free(v);
                     break;
                 }