diff --git a/src/pynwb/file.py b/src/pynwb/file.py
index 12fb72008..59fbaa76c 100644
--- a/src/pynwb/file.py
+++ b/src/pynwb/file.py
@@ -490,7 +490,6 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         args_to_set['file_create_date'] = list(map(_add_missing_timezone, file_create_date))
 
         # backwards-compatibility code for ic_electrodes / icephys_electrodes
-        icephys_electrodes = args_to_set['icephys_electrodes']
         ic_electrodes = args_to_set['ic_electrodes']
         if ic_electrodes is not None:
             self._error_on_new_pass_on_construct(error_msg=("Use of the ic_electrodes parameter is deprecated "