diff --git a/src/core/vdom/patch.js b/src/core/vdom/patch.js
index 455698a6..f7baa787 100644
--- a/src/core/vdom/patch.js
+++ b/src/core/vdom/patch.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export function createPatchFunction (backend) {
   }
 
   function createElm (vnode, insertedVnodeQueue, nested) {
-    let i, elm
+    let i
     const data = vnode.data
     vnode.isRootInsert = !nested
     if (isDef(data)) {
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ export function createPatchFunction (backend) {
           )
         }
       }
-      elm = vnode.elm = vnode.ns
+      vnode.elm = vnode.ns
         ? nodeOps.createElementNS(vnode.ns, tag)
         : nodeOps.createElement(tag)
       setScope(vnode)
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ export function createPatchFunction (backend) {
         invokeCreateHooks(vnode, insertedVnodeQueue)
       }
     } else if (vnode.isComment) {
-      elm = vnode.elm = nodeOps.createComment(vnode.text)
+      vnode.elm = nodeOps.createComment(vnode.text)
     } else {
-      elm = vnode.elm = nodeOps.createTextNode(vnode.text)
+      vnode.elm = nodeOps.createTextNode(vnode.text)
     }
     return vnode.elm
   }
diff --git a/test/unit/modules/vdom/patch/hydration.spec.js b/test/unit/modules/vdom/patch/hydration.spec.js
index f028a990..b69a477a 100644
--- a/test/unit/modules/vdom/patch/hydration.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/modules/vdom/patch/hydration.spec.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ describe('vdom patch: hydration', () => {
     dom.setAttribute('server-rendered', 'true')
     dom.innerHTML = '<div><span>foo</span></div>'
 
-    const vm = new Vue({
+    new Vue({
       template: '<div><test></test></div>',
       components: {
         test: {