diff --git a/QtPyLoT.py b/QtPyLoT.py
index 9af35be9..441446d5 100755
--- a/QtPyLoT.py
+++ b/QtPyLoT.py
@@ -664,11 +664,11 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
     def autoPick(self):
         self.listWidget = QListWidget()
         self.setDirty(True)
-        logDockWidget = QDockWidget("AutoPickLog", self)
-        logDockWidget.setObjectName("LogDockWidget")
-        logDockWidget.setAllowedAreas(Qt.LeftDockWidgetArea | Qt.RightDockWidgetArea)
-        logDockWidget.setWidget(self.listWidget)
-        self.addDockWidget(Qt.LeftDockWidgetArea, logDockWidget)
+        self.logDockWidget = QDockWidget("AutoPickLog", self)
+        self.logDockWidget.setObjectName("LogDockWidget")
+        self.logDockWidget.setAllowedAreas(Qt.LeftDockWidgetArea | Qt.RightDockWidgetArea)
+        self.logDockWidget.setWidget(self.listWidget)
+        self.addDockWidget(Qt.LeftDockWidgetArea, self.logDockWidget)
         self.addListItem('loading default values for local data ...')
         autopick_parameter = AutoPickParameter('autoPyLoT_local.in')
         self.addListItem(str(autopick_parameter))