diff --git a/src/frontend/options.c b/src/frontend/options.c
index 1091ca96e..05cc8e2c0 100644
--- a/src/frontend/options.c
+++ b/src/frontend/options.c
@@ -60,9 +60,7 @@ cp_enqvar(char *word)
                 double value = isreal(d)
                     ? d->v_realdata[i]
                     : realpart(d->v_compdata[i]);
-                struct variable *tv;
-                tv = var_alloc_real(NULL, value, list);
-                list = tv;
+                list = var_alloc_real(NULL, value, list);
             }
             vv = var_alloc_vlist(copy(word), list, NULL);
         }
@@ -90,9 +88,7 @@ cp_enqvar(char *word)
             struct variable *list = NULL;
             struct plot *pl;
             for (pl = plot_list; pl; pl = pl->pl_next) {
-                struct variable *tv;
-                tv = var_alloc_string(NULL, copy(pl->pl_typename), list);
-                list = tv;
+                list = var_alloc_string(NULL, copy(pl->pl_typename), list);
             }
             vv = var_alloc_vlist(copy(word), list, NULL);
         }
diff --git a/src/frontend/spiceif.c b/src/frontend/spiceif.c
index f75581d60..d13a123d1 100644
--- a/src/frontend/spiceif.c
+++ b/src/frontend/spiceif.c
@@ -980,9 +980,7 @@ parmtovar(IFvalue *pv, IFparm *opt)
         struct variable *list = NULL;
         int i;
         for (i = pv->v.numValue; --i >= 0;) {
-            struct variable *nv;
-            nv = var_alloc_real(NULL, pv->v.vec.rVec[i], list);
-            list = nv;
+            list = var_alloc_real(NULL, pv->v.vec.rVec[i], list);
         }
         vv = var_alloc_vlist(copy(opt->description), list, NULL);
         return vv;