diff --git a/src/codegen/pass2_generate.cc b/src/codegen/pass2_generate.cc
index 591daed21..aaeff2af3 100644
--- a/src/codegen/pass2_generate.cc
+++ b/src/codegen/pass2_generate.cc
@@ -674,9 +674,6 @@ static CodeList* gen_goifl(
     OutAllocator& alc = output.allocator;
     const opt_t* opts = output.block().opts;
 
-    CodeList* stmts = code_list(alc);
-    const CodeGoBranch* b = go->branches, *e = b + go->nbranches;
-
     auto transition = [&](const CodeGoBranch* b) {
         if (b->kind == CodeGoBranch::Kind::JUMP) {
             CodeList* code = code_list(alc);
@@ -687,6 +684,9 @@ static CodeList* gen_goifl(
         }
     };
 
+    CodeList* stmts = code_list(alc);
+    const CodeGoBranch* b = go->branches, *e = b + go->nbranches;
+
     if (opts->code_model != CodeModel::REC_FUNC) {
         // In goto/label and loop/switch modes generate a sequence of IF statements.
         // It is possible to use IF/ELSE-IF.../ELSE instead, but this would prevent folding YYSKIP