diff --git a/debian/templates/temp.image.plain/postinst b/debian/templates/temp.image.plain/postinst
index bd3485dd2..ae8c797ea 100755
--- a/debian/templates/temp.image.plain/postinst
+++ b/debian/templates/temp.image.plain/postinst
@@ -481,7 +481,6 @@ sub handle_missing_link {
   } 
   else {
     if (! $have_conffile) {
-      my $ret;
       # current default
       $do_symlink = "Yes";