diff --git a/wp-admin/post.php b/wp-admin/post.php
index 04ce3c6f3a..54fb8caaf7 100644
--- a/wp-admin/post.php
+++ b/wp-admin/post.php
@@ -297,11 +297,10 @@ switch($action) {
 					$latlonaddition = " post_lat=null, post_lon=null, ";
 				}
 			}
-			$post_status = $HTTP_POST_VARS['post_status'];
 			$prev_status = $HTTP_POST_VARS['prev_status'];
 			$post_status = $HTTP_POST_VARS['post_status'];
 			$comment_status = $HTTP_POST_VARS['comment_status'];
-			if (empty($comment_status)) $post_status = get_settings('default_comment_status');
+			if (empty($comment_status)) $comment_status = get_settings('default_comment_status');
 			$ping_status = $HTTP_POST_VARS['ping_status'];
 			if (empty($ping_status)) $ping_status = get_settings('default_ping_status');
 			$post_password = addslashes($HTTP_POST_VARS['post_password']);