diff --git a/server/start.go b/server/start.go
index 41fdaaaec1fd..bdf77281ad81 100644
--- a/server/start.go
+++ b/server/start.go
@@ -348,7 +348,9 @@ func startInProcess(ctx *Context, clientCtx client.Context, appCreator types.App
 	// service if API or gRPC is enabled, and avoid doing so in the general
 	// case, because it spawns a new local tendermint RPC client.
 	if (config.API.Enable || config.GRPC.Enable) && tmNode != nil {
-		clientCtx := clientCtx.WithClient(local.New(tmNode))
+		// re-assign for making the client available below
+		// do not use := to avoid shadowing clientCtx
+		clientCtx = clientCtx.WithClient(local.New(tmNode))
 
 		app.RegisterTxService(clientCtx)
 		app.RegisterTendermintService(clientCtx)