diff --git a/regex/compile.go b/regex/compile.go
index 80a5fce..b5e9f43 100644
--- a/regex/compile.go
+++ b/regex/compile.go
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ func thompson(re []postfixNode) (Reg, error) {
 			if c.endReps != -1 && c.endReps < c.startReps {
 				return Reg{}, fmt.Errorf("numeric specifier - start greater than end")
 			}
-			state := mustPop(&nfa)
+			poppedState := mustPop(&nfa)
 			var stateToAdd *State = nil
 			// Take advantage of the following facts:
 			// a{5} == aaaaa
@@ -1080,17 +1080,17 @@ func thompson(re []postfixNode) (Reg, error) {
 			// b. Encode the logic while parsing the string (shunting-yard). If I can expand the numeric specifier
 			// at this point, I can leave thompson untouched.
 			for i := 0; i < c.startReps; i++ { // Case 1
-				stateToAdd = concatenate(stateToAdd, cloneState(state))
+				stateToAdd = concatenate(stateToAdd, cloneState(poppedState))
 			}
 			if c.endReps == infinite_reps { // Case 3
-				s2, err := kleene(*state)
+				s2, err := kleene(*poppedState)
 				if err != nil {
 					return Reg{}, err
 				}
 				stateToAdd = concatenate(stateToAdd, s2)
 			} else { // Case 2
 				for i := c.startReps; i < c.endReps; i++ {
-					stateToAdd = concatenate(stateToAdd, question(cloneState(state)))
+					stateToAdd = concatenate(stateToAdd, question(cloneState(poppedState)))
 				}
 			}
 			nfa = append(nfa, stateToAdd)