diff --git a/js/id/modes/add_road.js b/js/id/modes/add_road.js
index bd37ed37e..9ed336b1c 100644
--- a/js/id/modes/add_road.js
+++ b/js/id/modes/add_road.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ iD.modes.AddRoad = function() {
 
             } else if (datum.type === 'way') {
                 // begin a new way starting from an existing way
-                choice = iD.util.geo.chooseIndex(datum, d3.mouse(map.surface.node()), map);
+                var choice = iD.util.geo.chooseIndex(datum, d3.mouse(map.surface.node()), map);
                 node = iD.Node({ loc: choice.loc }),
 
                 history.perform(