diff --git a/symmetric/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/transport/http/HttpOutgoingTransport.java b/symmetric/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/transport/http/HttpOutgoingTransport.java
index 570f71dcd8..3e009ba3d0 100644
--- a/symmetric/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/transport/http/HttpOutgoingTransport.java
+++ b/symmetric/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/transport/http/HttpOutgoingTransport.java
@@ -96,12 +96,12 @@ private void closeWriter() throws IOException {
      * @throws {@link AuthenticationException}
      */
     private void requestReservation() throws IOException {
-        HttpURLConnection c = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
-        c.setUseCaches(false);
-        c.setConnectTimeout(httpTimeout);
-        c.setReadTimeout(httpTimeout);
-        c.setRequestMethod("HEAD");
-        analyzeResponseCode(c.getResponseCode());
+        connection = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
+        connection.setUseCaches(false);
+        connection.setConnectTimeout(httpTimeout);
+        connection.setReadTimeout(httpTimeout);
+        connection.setRequestMethod("HEAD");
+        analyzeResponseCode(connection.getResponseCode());
     }
 
     public BufferedWriter open() throws IOException {