diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/go.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/go.go
index 756c4d7358..860f29e5b4 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/go.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/go.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 package gc
 
 import (
-	"bufio"
 	"cmd/compile/internal/ssa"
 	"cmd/internal/bio"
 	"cmd/internal/obj"
@@ -285,8 +284,6 @@ var Ctxt *obj.Link
 
 var writearchive bool
 
-var bstdout *bufio.Writer
-
 var Nacl bool
 
 var continpc *obj.Prog
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
index a52ad8cc50..99c6fe5a74 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/main.go
@@ -107,8 +107,7 @@ func Main() {
 
 	Ctxt = obj.Linknew(Thearch.LinkArch)
 	Ctxt.DiagFunc = Yyerror
-	bstdout = bufio.NewWriter(os.Stdout)
-	Ctxt.Bso = bstdout
+	Ctxt.Bso = bufio.NewWriter(os.Stdout)
 
 	localpkg = mkpkg("")
 	localpkg.Prefix = "\"\""
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/subr.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/subr.go
index fe8f820c5f..9992f49b4b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/subr.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/subr.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (x byLineno) Less(i, j int) bool { return x[i].lineno < x[j].lineno }
 func (x byLineno) Swap(i, j int)      { x[i], x[j] = x[j], x[i] }
 
 func Flusherrors() {
-	bstdout.Flush()
+	Ctxt.Bso.Flush()
 	if len(errors) == 0 {
 		return
 	}