diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
index 1b5e1d561..ab0842d46 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ print_line() {
     local service_name="${1}"
     local service_state="" ; service_state="$( parse_status "${1}" "${2}" )"
     # XXX: What will we do if tput isn't avalable?
+    local line=""
     if (( __tty == 1 )); then
         local NC; NC="$(tput sgr0)" # no color
         local red=""; red="$(tput setaf 1 bold)"
@@ -192,7 +193,6 @@ print_line() {
         local columns ; columns=$(tput cols)
         linewidth=$(( columns - PADDING_CONSTANT - ${#service_name} - ${#service_state} ))
 
-        local line=""
         for i in $(seq 0 "${linewidth}"); do
           line="${line}-"
         done