diff --git a/src/resty/aws/request/execute.lua b/src/resty/aws/request/execute.lua
index 60e0171..02236d6 100644
--- a/src/resty/aws/request/execute.lua
+++ b/src/resty/aws/request/execute.lua
@@ -55,15 +55,17 @@ local function execute_request(signed_request)
   if response.headers["application/vnd.amazon.eventstream"] then
     body_reader = response.body_reader
   else
-    body do
+    local this_body do
       if response.has_body then
-        body, err = response:read_body()
-        if not body then
+        this_body, err = response:read_body()
+        if not this_body then
           return nil, ("failed reading response body from '%s:%s': %s"):format(
                         tostring(signed_request.host),
                         tostring(signed_request.port),
                         tostring(err))
         end
+
+        body = this_body
       end
     end
   end