diff --git a/pdcurses/window.c b/pdcurses/window.c
index 129de5b0..4320e641 100644
--- a/pdcurses/window.c
+++ b/pdcurses/window.c
@@ -306,9 +306,7 @@ int mvwin(WINDOW *win, int y, int x)
 WINDOW *subwin(WINDOW *orig, int nlines, int ncols, int begy, int begx)
 {
     WINDOW *win;
-    int i;
-    int j = begy - orig->_begy;
-    int k = begx - orig->_begx;
+    int i, j, k;
 
     PDC_LOG(("subwin() - called: lines %d cols %d begy %d begx %d\n",
              nlines, ncols, begy, begx));
@@ -320,6 +318,9 @@ WINDOW *subwin(WINDOW *orig, int nlines, int ncols, int begy, int begx)
         (begx + ncols) > (orig->_begx + orig->_maxx))
         return (WINDOW *)NULL;
 
+    j = begy - orig->_begy;
+    k = begx - orig->_begx;
+
     if (!nlines)
         nlines = orig->_maxy - 1 - j;
     if (!ncols)