diff --git a/src/fileFormats/sampledSetWriters/writer.C b/src/fileFormats/sampledSetWriters/writer.C
index 09a6b88459..5b7bb64183 100644
--- a/src/fileFormats/sampledSetWriters/writer.C
+++ b/src/fileFormats/sampledSetWriters/writer.C
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Foam::autoPtr<Foam::writer<Type>> Foam::writer<Type>::New
     const dictionary& formatOptions
 )
 {
-    auto ctorPtr = dictConstructorTable(writeType);
+    auto* ctorPtr = dictConstructorTable(writeType);
 
     if (!ctorPtr)
     {