diff --git a/p2p/discover/v5wire/encoding.go b/p2p/discover/v5wire/encoding.go
index cffed91f19..b16d14eda5 100644
--- a/p2p/discover/v5wire/encoding.go
+++ b/p2p/discover/v5wire/encoding.go
@@ -220,11 +220,10 @@ func (c *Codec) Encode(id enode.ID, addr string, packet Packet, challenge *Whoar
 	// Encode header data.
 	c.writeHeaders(&head)
 
-	var enc []byte
 	// Store sent WHOAREYOU challenges.
 	if challenge, ok := packet.(*Whoareyou); ok {
 		challenge.ChallengeData = bytesCopy(&c.buf)
-		enc, err = c.EncodeRaw(id, head, msgData)
+		enc, err := c.EncodeRaw(id, head, msgData)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, Nonce{}, err
 		}
@@ -240,7 +239,7 @@ func (c *Codec) Encode(id enode.ID, addr string, packet Packet, challenge *Whoar
 			return nil, Nonce{}, err
 		}
 	}
-	enc, err = c.EncodeRaw(id, head, msgData)
+	enc, err := c.EncodeRaw(id, head, msgData)
 	return enc, head.Nonce, err
 }