diff --git a/src/p_lx_elf.cpp b/src/p_lx_elf.cpp
index a4691e5f..ca1a33d9 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_elf.cpp
+++ b/src/p_lx_elf.cpp
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ void PackLinuxI386elf::packExtent(
             tmp.b_cto8 = ft->cto;
         }
         fo->write(&tmp, sizeof(tmp));
-        ph.b_len += sizeof(b_info);
+        b_len += sizeof(b_info);
 
         // write compressed data
         if (ph.c_len < ph.u_len) {
diff --git a/src/p_lx_exc.cpp b/src/p_lx_exc.cpp
index de048335..79111379 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_exc.cpp
+++ b/src/p_lx_exc.cpp
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ PackLinuxI386::buildLinuxLoader(
             // p_progid, p_filesize, p_blocksize
         sizeof(p_info) +
             // compressed data
-        ph.b_len + ph.c_len );
+        b_len + ph.c_len );
             // entry to stub
     addLoader("LEXEC000", 0);
 
diff --git a/src/p_unix.cpp b/src/p_unix.cpp
index 92fa2428..f56ce82a 100644
--- a/src/p_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/p_unix.cpp
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ void PackUnix::pack2(OutputFile *fo, Filter &ft)
         blk_info.b_ftid = ph.filter;
         blk_info.b_cto8 = ph.filter_cto;
         fo->write(&blk_info, sizeof(blk_info));
-        ph.b_len += sizeof(b_info);
+        b_len += sizeof(b_info);
 
         // write compressed data
         if (ph.c_len < ph.u_len) {
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ void PackUnix::pack(OutputFile *fo)
 {
     Filter ft(ph.level);
     ft.addvalue = 0;
-    ph.b_len = 0;
+    b_len = 0;
     progid = 0;
 
     // set options
diff --git a/src/p_unix.h b/src/p_unix.h
index 316d5519..d3d6cbf1 100644
--- a/src/p_unix.h
+++ b/src/p_unix.h
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ protected:
     MemBuffer pt_dynamic;
     int sz_dynamic;
 
+    unsigned b_len;  // total length of b_info blocks
+
     // must agree with stub/linux.hh
     struct b_info { // 12-byte header before each compressed block
         unsigned sz_unc;  // uncompressed_size
diff --git a/src/packer.h b/src/packer.h
index 16fd0fb5..1bd1f958 100644
--- a/src/packer.h
+++ b/src/packer.h
@@ -95,9 +95,6 @@ public:
 
     // info fields set by Packer::compressWithFilters()
     unsigned overlap_overhead;
-
-    // FIXME: john, what is this ???
-    unsigned b_len;  // total length of b_info blocks
 };