diff --git a/src/common/filefn.cpp b/src/common/filefn.cpp
index 0e0ef3d6b2..2946d770cf 100644
--- a/src/common/filefn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/filefn.cpp
@@ -1607,7 +1607,7 @@ static bool wxCheckWin32Permission(const wxString& path, DWORD access)
         return false;
     }
 
-    HANDLE h = ::CreateFile
+    const HANDLE h = ::CreateFile
                  (
                     path.t_str(),
                     access,