diff --git a/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/completions/handlers/llm_mixin.py b/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/completions/handlers/llm_mixin.py
index 5d027e716..ed454fff6 100644
--- a/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/completions/handlers/llm_mixin.py
+++ b/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/completions/handlers/llm_mixin.py
@@ -41,19 +41,19 @@ def get_llm(self) -> Optional[BaseProvider]:
             else None
         )
 
-        should_recreate_chain = False
+        should_recreate_llm = False
         if curr_lm_id != next_lm_id:
             self.log.info(
                 f"Switching {self.handler_kind} language model from {curr_lm_id} to {next_lm_id}."
             )
-            should_recreate_chain = True
+            should_recreate_llm = True
         elif self._llm_params != lm_provider_params:
             self.log.info(
                 f"{self.handler_kind} model params changed, updating the llm chain."
             )
-            should_recreate_chain = True
+            should_recreate_llm = True
 
-        if should_recreate_chain:
+        if should_recreate_llm:
             self._llm = self.create_llm(lm_provider, lm_provider_params)
             self._llm_params = lm_provider_params