diff --git a/emacs/notmuch.el b/emacs/notmuch.el
index d9a6b67a..92a86cf2 100644
--- a/emacs/notmuch.el
+++ b/emacs/notmuch.el
@@ -563,6 +563,10 @@ This function advances the next thread when finished."
   (notmuch-search-remove-tag-thread "inbox")
   (forward-line))
 
+(defvar notmuch-search-process-filter-data nil
+  "Data that has not yet been processed.")
+(make-variable-buffer-local 'notmuch-search-process-filter-data)
+
 (defun notmuch-search-process-sentinel (proc msg)
   "Add a message to let user know when \"notmuch search\" exits"
   (let ((buffer (process-buffer proc))
@@ -738,10 +742,6 @@ non-authors is found, assume that all of the authors match."
 	  do (notmuch-search-insert-field field date count authors subject tags)))
   (insert "\n"))
 
-(defvar notmuch-search-process-filter-data nil
-  "Data that has not yet been processed.")
-(make-variable-buffer-local 'notmuch-search-process-filter-data)
-
 (defun notmuch-search-process-filter (proc string)
   "Process and filter the output of \"notmuch search\""
   (let ((buffer (process-buffer proc))