diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/sam/io.c b/sys/src/cmd/sam/io.c
index f995bb7c9..a8ff31c31 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/sam/io.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/sam/io.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ writef(File *f)
 		warn(Wnotnewline);
 	closeio(n);
 	if(f->name.s[0]==0 || samename){
-		if(statfile(name, &dev, &qid, &mtime, 0, 0) > 0){
+		if(statfile(genc, &dev, &qid, &mtime, 0, 0) > 0){
 			f->dev = dev;
 			f->qidpath = qid;
 			f->mtime = mtime;