diff --git a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
index 4c510c128..548703738 100644
--- a/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
+++ b/src/github.com/matrix-org/dendrite/syncapi/sync/requestpool.go
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ func NewRequestPool(db *storage.SyncServerDatabase, n *Notifier, adb *accounts.D
 // called in a dedicated goroutine for this request. This function will block the goroutine
 // until a response is ready, or it times out.
 func (rp *RequestPool) OnIncomingSyncRequest(req *http.Request, device *authtypes.Device) util.JSONResponse {
+	var syncData *types.Response
+
 	// Extract values from request
 	logger := util.GetLogger(req.Context())
 	userID := device.UserID
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ func (rp *RequestPool) OnIncomingSyncRequest(req *http.Request, device *authtype
 
 	// If this is an initial sync or timeout=0 we return immediately
 	if syncReq.since == nil || syncReq.timeout == 0 {
-		syncData, err := rp.currentSyncForUser(*syncReq, currPos)
+		syncData, err = rp.currentSyncForUser(*syncReq, currPos)
 		if err != nil {
 			return httputil.LogThenError(req, err)
 		}
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ func (rp *RequestPool) OnIncomingSyncRequest(req *http.Request, device *authtype
 	// of calculating the sync only to get timed out before we
 	// can respond
 
-	syncData, err := rp.currentSyncForUser(*syncReq, currPos)
+	syncData, err = rp.currentSyncForUser(*syncReq, currPos)
 	if err != nil {
 		return httputil.LogThenError(req, err)
 	}