diff --git a/src/auth/cellconfig.c b/src/auth/cellconfig.c
index 63bd91e2bd..c8635cec57 100644
--- a/src/auth/cellconfig.c
+++ b/src/auth/cellconfig.c
@@ -855,6 +855,7 @@ afsconf_GetAfsdbInfo(char *acellName, char *aservice,
     char host[256];
     int server_num = 0;
     int minttl = 0;
+    int try_init = 0;
 
     /* The resolver isn't always MT-safe.. Perhaps this ought to be
      * replaced with a more fine-grained lock just for the resolver
@@ -881,8 +882,8 @@ afsconf_GetAfsdbInfo(char *acellName, char *aservice,
        UNLOCK_GLOBAL_MUTEX;
     }
     if (len < 0) {
-	if (try < 1) {
-	    try++;
+	if (try_init < 1) {
+	    try_init++;
 	    res_init();
 	    goto retryafsdb;
 	}