diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/PlainActionFuture.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/PlainActionFuture.java
index 30bdb7fd2c4cb..4022ef3873771 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/PlainActionFuture.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/PlainActionFuture.java
@@ -385,8 +385,8 @@ boolean allowedExecutors(Thread blockedThread, Thread completingThread) {
         // this should only be used to validate thread interactions, like not waiting for a future completed on the same
         // executor, hence calling it with the same thread indicates a bug in the assertion using this.
         assert blockedThread != completingThread : "only call this for different threads";
-        String thread1Name = EsExecutors.executorName(blockedThread);
-        String thread2Name = EsExecutors.executorName(completingThread);
-        return thread1Name == null || thread2Name == null || thread1Name.equals(thread2Name) == false;
+        String blockedThreadName = EsExecutors.executorName(blockedThread);
+        String completingThreadName = EsExecutors.executorName(completingThread);
+        return blockedThreadName == null || completingThreadName == null || blockedThreadName.equals(completingThreadName) == false;
     }
 }