diff --git a/src/include/lib/simplehash.h b/src/include/lib/simplehash.h
index 48db837ec8..b7adc16b80 100644
--- a/src/include/lib/simplehash.h
+++ b/src/include/lib/simplehash.h
@@ -964,7 +964,6 @@ SH_DELETE_ITEM(SH_TYPE * tb, SH_ELEMENT_TYPE * entry)
 SH_SCOPE void
 SH_START_ITERATE(SH_TYPE * tb, SH_ITERATOR * iter)
 {
-	int			i;
 	uint64		startelem = PG_UINT64_MAX;
 
 	/*
@@ -972,7 +971,7 @@ SH_START_ITERATE(SH_TYPE * tb, SH_ITERATOR * iter)
 	 * supported, we want to start/end at an element that cannot be affected
 	 * by elements being shifted.
 	 */
-	for (i = 0; i < tb->size; i++)
+	for (uint32 i = 0; i < tb->size; i++)
 	{
 		SH_ELEMENT_TYPE *entry = &tb->data[i];
 
@@ -983,6 +982,7 @@ SH_START_ITERATE(SH_TYPE * tb, SH_ITERATOR * iter)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* we should have found an empty element */
 	Assert(startelem < SH_MAX_SIZE);
 
 	/*