diff --git a/src/frontend/com_ghelp.c b/src/frontend/com_ghelp.c
index cacd7d025..2a76e0a34 100644
--- a/src/frontend/com_ghelp.c
+++ b/src/frontend/com_ghelp.c
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ com_ghelp(wordlist *wl)
     char *npath;
     char *path = Help_Path;
     char buf[BSIZE_SP];
+#ifndef X_DISPLAY_MISSING
     int i;
+#endif /* X_DISPLAY_MISSING 1  */
 
     if (cp_getvar("helppath", VT_STRING, buf))
         path = copy(buf);