diff --git a/apache2/re_operators.c b/apache2/re_operators.c
index 77b1b413..7cdf5896 100644
--- a/apache2/re_operators.c
+++ b/apache2/re_operators.c
@@ -751,7 +751,6 @@ static int msre_op_validateHash_execute(modsec_rec *msr, msre_rule *rule, msre_v
     char *my_error_msg = NULL;
     int ovector[33];
     int rc;
-    const char *pattern = NULL;
     #ifdef WITH_PCRE_STUDY
        #ifdef WITH_PCRE_JIT
     int jit;
@@ -781,8 +780,8 @@ static int msre_op_validateHash_execute(modsec_rec *msr, msre_rule *rule, msre_v
 
             expand_macros(msr, re_pattern, rule, msr->mp);
 
-            pattern = log_escape_re(msr->mp, re_pattern->value);
             if (msr->txcfg->debuglog_level >= 6) {
+                const char *pattern = log_escape_re(msr->mp, re_pattern->value);
                 msr_log(msr, 6, "Escaping pattern [%s]",pattern);
             }