diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index b00821f294..046a8bbf32 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -3516,15 +3516,15 @@ int get_sparse_checkout_patterns(struct pattern_list *pl)
 
 int remove_path(const char *name)
 {
-	char *slash;
+	const char *last;
 
 	if (unlink(name) && !is_missing_file_error(errno))
 		return -1;
 
-	slash = strrchr(name, '/');
-	if (slash) {
+	last = strrchr(name, '/');
+	if (last) {
 		char *dirs = xstrdup(name);
-		slash = dirs + (slash - name);
+		char *slash = dirs + (last - name);
 		do {
 			*slash = '\0';
 			if (startup_info->original_cwd &&