diff --git a/x/merkledb/proof.go b/x/merkledb/proof.go
index f750158d4c11..c94a68f7db5b 100644
--- a/x/merkledb/proof.go
+++ b/x/merkledb/proof.go
@@ -840,9 +840,9 @@ func addPathInfo(
 			if existingChild, ok := n.children[index]; ok {
 				compressedKey = existingChild.compressedKey
 			}
-			childPath := key.Extend(ToToken(index, t.tokenSize), compressedKey)
-			if (shouldInsertLeftChildren && childPath.Less(insertChildrenLessThan.Value())) ||
-				(shouldInsertRightChildren && childPath.Greater(insertChildrenGreaterThan.Value())) {
+			childKey := key.Extend(ToToken(index, t.tokenSize), compressedKey)
+			if (shouldInsertLeftChildren && childKey.Less(insertChildrenLessThan.Value())) ||
+				(shouldInsertRightChildren && childKey.Greater(insertChildrenGreaterThan.Value())) {
 				// We didn't set the other values on the child entry, but it doesn't matter.
 				// We only need the IDs to be correct so that the calculated hash is correct.
 				n.setChildEntry(