diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/fat/attr.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/fat/attr.c
index 850f959e2c..6530d798ec 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/fat/attr.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/fat/attr.c
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ dosfs_read_attr(fs_volume *_vol, fs_vnode *_node, void *_cookie, off_t pos,
 {
 	nspace *vol = (nspace *)_vol->private_volume;
 	vnode *node = (vnode *)_node->private_node;
+	ssize_t length;
 
 	DPRINTF(0, ("dosfs_read_attr\n"));
 
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ dosfs_read_attr(fs_volume *_vol, fs_vnode *_node, void *_cookie, off_t pos,
 		return EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	ssize_t length = user_strlcpy(buffer, node->mime + pos, *_length);
+	length = user_strlcpy(buffer, node->mime + pos, *_length);
 	if (length < B_OK) {
 		UNLOCK_VOL(vol);
 		return B_BAD_ADDRESS;