diff --git a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
index d8bcb9b9d..c1809eed1 100644
--- a/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
+++ b/sphinx/texinputs/sphinx.sty
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@
                      {\kern\fontdimen2\font}%
        }%
   % go around fancyvrb's check of @currenvir (for case of minipage below)
-  \renewcommand*{\VerbatimEnvironment}{\xdef\FV@EnvironName{Verbatim}}%
+  \renewcommand*{\VerbatimEnvironment}{\gdef\FV@EnvironName{Verbatim}}%
   % Allow breaks at special characters using \PYG... macros.
   \Sphinxbreaksatspecials
   % The list environment is needed to control perfectly the vertical space.