diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/events/event_broadcaster.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/events/event_broadcaster.go
index 834f6025e9c4..3acfe68bed31 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/events/event_broadcaster.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/events/event_broadcaster.go
@@ -203,9 +203,9 @@ func recordEvent(sink EventSink, event *v1beta1.Event) (*v1beta1.Event, bool) {
 	var err error
 	isEventSeries := event.Series != nil
 	if isEventSeries {
-		patch, err := createPatchBytesForSeries(event)
-		if err != nil {
-			klog.Errorf("Unable to calculate diff, no merge is possible: %v", err)
+		patch, patchBytesErr := createPatchBytesForSeries(event)
+		if patchBytesErr != nil {
+			klog.Errorf("Unable to calculate diff, no merge is possible: %v", patchBytesErr)
 			return nil, false
 		}
 		newEvent, err = sink.Patch(event, patch)