diff --git a/slstatus.c b/slstatus.c
index f070e1d..a9aeecb 100644
--- a/slstatus.c
+++ b/slstatus.c
@@ -564,12 +564,14 @@ wifi_perc(const char *wificard)
 	char path[64];
 	char status[5];
 	char needle[strlen(wificard)+2];
-	FILE *fp = fopen(path, "r");
+	FILE *fp;
 
 	strlcpy(path, "/sys/class/net/", sizeof(path));
 	strlcat(path, wificard, sizeof(path));
 	strlcat(path, "/operstate", sizeof(path));
 
+	fp = fopen(path, "r");
+
 	if(fp == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Error opening wifi operstate file: %s\n",
 							strerror(errno));