diff --git a/tests/plugin/syscall.c b/tests/plugin/syscall.c
index 484b48de49..96040c578f 100644
--- a/tests/plugin/syscall.c
+++ b/tests/plugin/syscall.c
@@ -70,19 +70,17 @@ static void vcpu_syscall_ret(qemu_plugin_id_t id, unsigned int vcpu_idx,
         }
         g_mutex_unlock(&lock);
     } else {
-        g_autofree gchar *out;
-        out = g_strdup_printf("syscall #%" PRIi64 " returned -> %" PRIi64 "\n",
-                num, ret);
+        g_autofree gchar *out = g_strdup_printf(
+             "syscall #%" PRIi64 " returned -> %" PRIi64 "\n", num, ret);
         qemu_plugin_outs(out);
     }
 }
 
 static void print_entry(gpointer val, gpointer user_data)
 {
-    g_autofree gchar *out;
     SyscallStats *entry = (SyscallStats *) val;
     int64_t syscall_num = entry->num;
-    out = g_strdup_printf(
+    g_autofree gchar *out = g_strdup_printf(
         "%-13" PRIi64 "%-6" PRIi64 " %" PRIi64 "\n",
         syscall_num, entry->calls, entry->errors);
     qemu_plugin_outs(out);