diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index 0e528cd..64c5594 100644
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -97,13 +97,13 @@ fi
 update_env SANIC_PORT "$SANIC_PORT"
 update_env BACKEND_HTTP_PORT "$BACKEND_HTTP_PORT"
 update_env BOOTSTRAP_SEEDS "$BOOTSTRAP_SEEDS"
-local local_bootstrap_required=$(ini_val BOOTSTRAP_REQUIRED)
+existing_bootstrap_required=$(ini_val BOOTSTRAP_REQUIRED)
 if [[ -z "$BOOTSTRAP_SEEDS" ]]; then
   echo "No bootstrap seeds provided; disabling mandatory bootstrap."
   update_env BOOTSTRAP_REQUIRED 0
 else
-  local_bootstrap_required=${local_bootstrap_required:-1}
-  update_env BOOTSTRAP_REQUIRED "$local_bootstrap_required"
+  existing_bootstrap_required=${existing_bootstrap_required:-1}
+  update_env BOOTSTRAP_REQUIRED "$existing_bootstrap_required"
 fi
 update_env HANDSHAKE_INTERVAL_SEC "$HANDSHAKE_INTERVAL_SEC"
 if [[ -z "$TELEGRAM_API_KEY" || "$TELEGRAM_API_KEY" == "YOUR_UPLOADER_BOT_TOKEN" ]]; then