diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index f72b12739b..f414aeb026 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ linters:
     # useful hints that should be addressed
     - ginkgolinter
     - nakedret
-    - wastedassign
     - gosmopolitan # usage of time.Local in pkg/k8s.io
     - tagliatelle # too many JSON keys cannot be changed due to compat
     - nosnakecase # too many false positives due to the `unix` package
diff --git a/libpod/container_internal_common.go b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
index d7cb65e43b..401a3986fc 100644
--- a/libpod/container_internal_common.go
+++ b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
@@ -2463,7 +2463,6 @@ func (c *Container) setHomeEnvIfNeeded() error {
 	}
 
 	// Ensure HOME is not already set in Env
-	home := ""
 	for _, s := range c.config.Spec.Process.Env {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(s, "HOME=") {
 			return nil
diff --git a/libpod/container_internal_linux.go b/libpod/container_internal_linux.go
index 0a4f99a24e..22efb94f76 100644
--- a/libpod/container_internal_linux.go
+++ b/libpod/container_internal_linux.go
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ func (c *Container) safeMountSubPath(mountPoint, subpath string) (s *safeMountIn
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	npath := ""
+	var npath string
 	switch {
 	case fi.Mode()&fs.ModeSymlink != 0:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("file %q is a symlink", joinedPath)
diff --git a/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go b/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go
index 38fd07bdea..89a025b8f9 100644
--- a/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go
+++ b/libpod/oci_conmon_common.go
@@ -1488,7 +1488,7 @@ func readConmonPipeData(runtimeName string, pipe *os.File, ociLog string) (int,
 		ch <- syncStruct{si: si}
 	}()
 
-	data := -1
+	var data int
 	select {
 	case ss := <-ch:
 		if ss.err != nil {