diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 9fc843730..9c992e642 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -1719,9 +1719,12 @@ MatrixClient.prototype.paginateEventTimeline = function(eventTimeline, opts) {
         return pendingRequest;
     }
 
+    var path, params, promise;
+    var self = this;
+
     if (isNotifTimeline) {
-        var path = "/notifications";
-        var params = {
+        path = "/notifications";
+        params = {
             limit: ('limit' in opts) ? opts.limit : 30,
             only: 'highlight',
         };
@@ -1730,8 +1733,7 @@ MatrixClient.prototype.paginateEventTimeline = function(eventTimeline, opts) {
             params.token = token;
         }
 
-        var self = this;
-        var promise =
+        promise =
             this._http.authedRequestWithPrefix(undefined, "GET", path, params,
                 undefined, httpApi.PREFIX_UNSTABLE
         ).then(function(res) {
@@ -1769,10 +1771,10 @@ MatrixClient.prototype.paginateEventTimeline = function(eventTimeline, opts) {
             throw new Error("Unknown room " + eventTimeline.getRoomId());
         }
 
-        var path = utils.encodeUri(
+        path = utils.encodeUri(
             "/rooms/$roomId/messages", {$roomId: eventTimeline.getRoomId()}
         );
-        var params = {
+        params = {
             from: token,
             limit: ('limit' in opts) ? opts.limit : 30,
             dir: dir
@@ -1785,9 +1787,7 @@ MatrixClient.prototype.paginateEventTimeline = function(eventTimeline, opts) {
             params.filter = JSON.stringify(filter.getRoomTimelineFilterComponent());
         }
 
-        var self = this;
-
-        var promise =
+        promise =
             this._http.authedRequest(undefined, "GET", path, params
         ).then(function(res) {
             var token = res.end;