diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index 5d786ace9..de5b39157 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ nupa_define(dico_t *dico,
       we mark each id with its subckt level, and warn if write at higher one.
     */
     char c;
-    bool err, warn;
+    bool warn;
     entry_t *entry;             /* spice table entry */
     NGHASHPTR htable_p;         /* hash table */
 
@@ -492,13 +492,9 @@ nupa_define(dico_t *dico,
     htable_p = dico->symbols[dico->stack_depth];
 
     entry = attrib(dico, htable_p, t, op);
-    err = 0;
 
-    if (!entry) {
-
-        err = message(dico, " Symbol table overflow\n");
-
-    } else {
+    if (!entry)
+        return message(dico, " Symbol table overflow\n");
 
         if (entry->tp == 'P')
             entry = entry->pointer; /* pointer indirection */
@@ -531,9 +527,8 @@ nupa_define(dico_t *dico,
             if (0)
                 message(dico, "%s: cannot redefine\n", t);
         }
-    }
 
-    return err;
+    return 0;
 }