diff --git a/bin/syncmode.sh b/bin/syncmode.sh
index 21035d445fba75cef43c409e5d3a83abd63f9dd3..d9747b8d46118cdf213dc1d8db4f4377f1c71417 100755
--- a/bin/syncmode.sh
+++ b/bin/syncmode.sh
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ then
     then
         if [ -r "${BFANODEDIR}/geth.pid" ]
         then
-            local pid=$( cat ${BFANODEDIR}/geth.pid )
+            pid=$( cat ${BFANODEDIR}/geth.pid )
             kill -0 $pid 2>/dev/null &&
                 echo "Killing running geth." &&
                 killed=1