diff --git a/object.c b/object.c
index 63d906e45b..a981319e37 100644
--- a/object.c
+++ b/object.c
@@ -2597,8 +2597,10 @@ rb_f_array(VALUE obj, VALUE arg)
 VALUE
 rb_Hash(VALUE val)
 {
+    VALUE tmp;
+
     if (NIL_P(val)) return rb_hash_new();
-    VALUE tmp = rb_check_hash_type(val);
+    tmp = rb_check_hash_type(val);
     if (NIL_P(tmp)) {
 	if (RB_TYPE_P(val, T_ARRAY) && RARRAY_LEN(val) == 0)
 	    return rb_hash_new();