diff --git a/maintainers/scripts/pluginupdate.py b/maintainers/scripts/pluginupdate.py
index de85b88da3fd..82116d40177c 100644
--- a/maintainers/scripts/pluginupdate.py
+++ b/maintainers/scripts/pluginupdate.py
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@ def update_plugins(editor: Editor, args):
 
     autocommit = not args.no_commit
 
+    nixpkgs_repo = None
     if autocommit:
         nixpkgs_repo = git.Repo(editor.root, search_parent_directories=True)
         commit(nixpkgs_repo, f"{editor.attr_path}: update", [args.outfile])