diff --git a/server/start.go b/server/start.go
index e8b7fc4b350c..a399b979d3d4 100644
--- a/server/start.go
+++ b/server/start.go
@@ -397,6 +397,8 @@ func startInProcess[T types.Application](svrCtx *Context, svrCfg serverconfig.Co
 	// 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 {
+		// re-assign for making the client available below
+		// do not use := to avoid shadowing clientCtx
 		clientCtx = clientCtx.WithClient(local.New(tmNode))
 
 		app.RegisterTxService(clientCtx)