diff --git a/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst b/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
index 66e845df2e6..6194d7446c7 100644
--- a/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
+++ b/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
@@ -1825,14 +1825,18 @@ return ``-1`` on error:
         PyInitConfig_Free(config);
         return 0;
 
-        // Display the error message
-        const char *err_msg;
     error:
-        (void)PyInitConfig_GetError(config, &err_msg);
-        printf("PYTHON INIT ERROR: %s\n", err_msg);
-        PyInitConfig_Free(config);
+        {
+            // Display the error message
+            // This uncommon braces style is used, because you cannot make
+            // goto targets point to variable declarations.
+            const char *err_msg;
+            (void)PyInitConfig_GetError(config, &err_msg);
+            printf("PYTHON INIT ERROR: %s\n", err_msg);
+            PyInitConfig_Free(config);
 
-        return -1;
+            return -1;
+        }
     }
 
 
diff --git a/Programs/_testembed.c b/Programs/_testembed.c
index 0fb45b2265e..d15dd519dbf 100644
--- a/Programs/_testembed.c
+++ b/Programs/_testembed.c
@@ -1902,11 +1902,13 @@ static int test_initconfig_api(void)
     Py_Finalize();
     return 0;
 
-    const char *err_msg;
 error:
-    (void)PyInitConfig_GetError(config, &err_msg);
-    printf("Python init failed: %s\n", err_msg);
-    exit(1);
+    {
+        const char *err_msg;
+        (void)PyInitConfig_GetError(config, &err_msg);
+        printf("Python init failed: %s\n", err_msg);
+        exit(1);
+    }
 }
 
 
@@ -2050,11 +2052,13 @@ static int test_initconfig_module(void)
     Py_Finalize();
     return 0;
 
-    const char *err_msg;
 error:
-    (void)PyInitConfig_GetError(config, &err_msg);
-    printf("Python init failed: %s\n", err_msg);
-    exit(1);
+    {
+        const char *err_msg;
+        (void)PyInitConfig_GetError(config, &err_msg);
+        printf("Python init failed: %s\n", err_msg);
+        exit(1);
+    }
 }