diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index 63a67098a0..efbf5fb943 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -1311,7 +1311,7 @@ static int prune_remote(const char *remote, int dry_run)
 {
 	int result = 0, i;
 	struct ref_states states;
-	struct string_list delete_refs_list = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
+	struct string_list refs_to_prune = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 	const char *dangling_msg = dry_run
 		? _(" %s will become dangling!")
 		: _(" %s has become dangling!");
@@ -1333,13 +1333,13 @@ static int prune_remote(const char *remote, int dry_run)
 	for (i = 0; i < states.stale.nr; i++) {
 		const char *refname = states.stale.items[i].util;
 
-		string_list_append(&delete_refs_list, refname);
+		string_list_append(&refs_to_prune, refname);
 	}
-	sort_string_list(&delete_refs_list);
+	sort_string_list(&refs_to_prune);
 
 	if (!dry_run) {
 		struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
-		if (repack_without_refs(&delete_refs_list, &err))
+		if (repack_without_refs(&refs_to_prune, &err))
 			result |= error("%s", err.buf);
 		strbuf_release(&err);
 	}
@@ -1358,9 +1358,9 @@ static int prune_remote(const char *remote, int dry_run)
 			       abbrev_ref(refname, "refs/remotes/"));
 	}
 
-	warn_dangling_symrefs(stdout, dangling_msg, &delete_refs_list);
+	warn_dangling_symrefs(stdout, dangling_msg, &refs_to_prune);
 
-	string_list_clear(&delete_refs_list, 0);
+	string_list_clear(&refs_to_prune, 0);
 	free_remote_ref_states(&states);
 	return result;
 }