diff --git a/C/zstdmt/zstdmt_common.c b/C/zstdmt/zstdmt_common.c
index 2083dfcc..3bd4e700 100644
--- a/C/zstdmt/zstdmt_common.c
+++ b/C/zstdmt/zstdmt_common.c
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ unsigned ZSTDMT_isError(size_t code)
  */
 const char *ZSTDMT_getErrorString(size_t code)
 {
+	static const char *notErrorCode = "Unspecified error zstmt code";
+
 	if (ZSTD_isError(zstdmt_errcode))
 		return ZSTD_getErrorName(zstdmt_errcode);
 
-	static const char *notErrorCode = "Unspecified error zstmt code";
 	switch ((ZSTDMT_ErrorCode) (0 - code)) {
 	case ZSTDMT_PREFIX(no_error):
 		return "No error detected";