diff --git a/src/nvim/lua/stdlib.c b/src/nvim/lua/stdlib.c
index e7dba12392..c9f82a2df1 100644
--- a/src/nvim/lua/stdlib.c
+++ b/src/nvim/lua/stdlib.c
@@ -231,8 +231,8 @@ static int nlua_str_utf_start(lua_State *const lstate) FUNC_ATTR_NONNULL_ALL
   if (offset < 0 || offset > (intptr_t)s1_len) {
     return luaL_error(lstate, "index out of range");
   }
-  int tail_offset = mb_head_off((char_u *)s1, (char_u *)s1 + offset - 1);
-  lua_pushinteger(lstate, tail_offset);
+  int head_offset = mb_head_off((char_u *)s1, (char_u *)s1 + offset - 1);
+  lua_pushinteger(lstate, head_offset);
   return 1;
 }