diff --git a/sys/dev/mwl/if_mwl.c b/sys/dev/mwl/if_mwl.c
index d035c5d1381..aa50d55c942 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mwl/if_mwl.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mwl/if_mwl.c
@@ -3442,7 +3442,7 @@ mwl_tx_draintxq(struct mwl_softc *sc, struct mwl_txq *txq)
 {
 	struct ieee80211_node *ni;
 	struct mwl_txbuf *bf;
-	u_int ix;
+	u_int ix __unused;
 
 	/*
 	 * NB: this assumes output has been stopped and