diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/dviread.py b/lib/matplotlib/dviread.py
index b12abf4148cd..b38af56e67ec 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/dviread.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/dviread.py
@@ -640,7 +640,8 @@ def _read(self):
         Read one page from the file. Return True if successful,
         False if there were no more pages.
         """
-        packet_len, packet_char, packet_width = None, None, None
+        packet_char, packet_ends = None, None
+        packet_len, packet_width = None, None
         while True:
             byte = ord(self.file.read(1)[0])
             # If we are in a packet, execute the dvi instructions