diff --git a/metobscommon/util/nc.py b/metobscommon/util/nc.py
index 10fc4e3bd9276a4726027fc4daa33c94bcecd84d..8e6bda6fcf1ad9fd47980f74391490c961222381 100644
--- a/metobscommon/util/nc.py
+++ b/metobscommon/util/nc.py
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def write_qc_for_unwritten(file_variables, unwritten_vars):
             continue
         # if a variable should be in file (database), but isn't in the
         # input data then make sure the QC field lists it as all fills
-        file_variables['qc_' + varName][:] |= 0b1
-        written_vars.append('qc_' + varName)
+        file_variables['qc_' + unwritten_var][:] |= 0b1
+        written_vars.append('qc_' + unwritten_var)
     return written_vars