diff --git a/examples/node/static_codegen/greeter_client.js b/examples/node/static_codegen/greeter_client.js
index da80cf34d8e07de8d183e880a7d7bfc3dce92698..9b93e003a5c68f88d544b0562b87955d3a062db9 100644
--- a/examples/node/static_codegen/greeter_client.js
+++ b/examples/node/static_codegen/greeter_client.js
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ var grpc = require('grpc');
 function main() {
   var client = new services.GreeterClient('localhost:50051',
                                           grpc.credentials.createInsecure());
+  var request = new messages.HelloRequest();
   var user;
   if (process.argv.length >= 3) {
     user = process.argv[2];
   } else {
     user = 'world';
   }
-  var request = new messages.HelloRequest();
   request.setName(user);
   client.sayHello(request, function(err, response) {
     console.log('Greeting:', response.getMessage());