diff --git a/geomagio/edge/MiniSeedFactory.py b/geomagio/edge/MiniSeedFactory.py
index a6ce76c986c5c6fe6937000f64f193e8658c2593..073a121bb4e204735a35bd17d03531c3070ffa8f 100644
--- a/geomagio/edge/MiniSeedFactory.py
+++ b/geomagio/edge/MiniSeedFactory.py
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class MiniSeedFactory(TimeseriesFactory):
         # determine suffix
         location_suffix = '0'
         if channel.find('_') >= 0:
-            element, suffix = channel.split('_')
+            _, suffix = channel.split('_')
             if suffix == 'Dist':
                 location_suffix = 'D'
             elif suffix == 'SQ':