diff --git a/gdb/xcoffread.c b/gdb/xcoffread.c
index 4d22f944cf..e93991f7a3 100644
--- a/gdb/xcoffread.c
+++ b/gdb/xcoffread.c
@@ -2079,10 +2079,13 @@ xcoff_symfile_read (objfile, section_offset, mainline)
   free_debugsection ();
 
   /* Sort symbols alphabetically within each block.  */
-  for (s = objfile -> symtabs; s != NULL; s = s -> next)
-    {
-      sort_symtab_syms (s);
-    }
+  {
+    struct symtab *s;
+    for (s = objfile -> symtabs; s != NULL; s = s -> next)
+      {
+	sort_symtab_syms (s);
+      }
+  }
 
   /* Install any minimal symbols that have been collected as the current
      minimal symbols for this objfile. */