diff --git a/complex.c b/complex.c
index e5d4a1192a..aa905c1c88 100644
--- a/complex.c
+++ b/complex.c
@@ -845,12 +845,11 @@ f_divide(VALUE self, VALUE other,
         return f_complex_new2(CLASS_OF(self), x, y);
     }
     if (k_numeric_p(other) && f_real_p(other)) {
+        VALUE x, y;
 	get_dat1(self);
-        return f_complex_new2(CLASS_OF(self),
-                              rb_rational_canonicalize(
-                                  (*func)(dat->real, other)),
-                              rb_rational_canonicalize(
-                                  (*func)(dat->imag, other)));
+        x = rb_rational_canonicalize((*func)(dat->real, other));
+        y = rb_rational_canonicalize((*func)(dat->imag, other));
+        return f_complex_new2(CLASS_OF(self), x, y);
     }
     return rb_num_coerce_bin(self, other, id);
 }