diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
index 92ecaed8ecf28..e143116471794 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
@@ -49,12 +49,10 @@ func walk(fn *Node) {
 			if defn.Left.Used() {
 				continue
 			}
-			lineno = defn.Left.Pos
-			yyerror("%v declared and not used", ln.Sym)
+			yyerrorl(defn.Left.Pos, "%v declared and not used", ln.Sym)
 			defn.Left.SetUsed(true) // suppress repeats
 		} else {
-			lineno = ln.Pos
-			yyerror("%v declared and not used", ln.Sym)
+			yyerrorl(ln.Pos, "%v declared and not used", ln.Sym)
 		}
 	}