diff --git a/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc b/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc
index d25f7b9fa1..fae3586a40 100644
--- a/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc
+++ b/src/sim/syscall_emul.cc
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ using namespace TheISA;
 void
 SyscallDesc::doSyscall(int callnum, LiveProcess *process, ThreadContext *tc)
 {
+#if TRACING_ON
     int index = 0;
+#endif
     DPRINTFR(SyscallVerbose,
              "%d: %s: syscall %s called w/arguments %d,%d,%d,%d\n",
              curTick, tc->getCpuPtr()->name(), name,