diff --git a/lib/_stream_writable.js b/lib/_stream_writable.js
index d21daf0541d339..fff47a703fe252 100644
--- a/lib/_stream_writable.js
+++ b/lib/_stream_writable.js
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ function writeAfterEnd(stream, cb) {
 // and undefined/non-string values are only allowed in object mode.
 function validChunk(stream, state, chunk, cb) {
   var valid = true;
-  var er = false;
+  var er;
 
   if (chunk === null) {
     er = new ERR_STREAM_NULL_VALUES();