diff --git a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
index 131d6a550d..5537c4e801 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
@@ -337,10 +337,11 @@ int hil_state_transition(hil_state_t new_state, int status_pub, struct vehicle_s
 
 				/* list directory */
 				DIR		*d;
-				struct dirent	*direntry;
 				d = opendir("/dev");
 				if (d) {
 
+					struct dirent	*direntry;
+
 					while ((direntry = readdir(d)) != NULL) {
 
 						int sensfd = ::open(direntry->d_name, 0);