diff --git a/lib/common/scores.c b/lib/common/scores.c
index 76e2b60f72..c5d3e80b6b 100644
--- a/lib/common/scores.c
+++ b/lib/common/scores.c
@@ -1,90 +1,98 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2004-2022 the Pacemaker project contributors
  *
  * The version control history for this file may have further details.
  *
  * This source code is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License
  * version 2.1 or later (LGPLv2.1+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
  */
 
 #include <crm_internal.h>
 
 #ifndef _GNU_SOURCE
 #  define _GNU_SOURCE
 #endif
 
 #include <stdio.h>      // snprintf(), NULL
 #include <string.h>     // strncpy(), strdup()
 #include <sys/types.h>  // size_t
 
 int pcmk__score_red = 0;
 int pcmk__score_green = 0;
 int pcmk__score_yellow = 0;
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Get the integer value of a score string
+ *
+ * Given a string representation of a score, return the integer equivalent.
+ * This accepts infinity strings as well as red, yellow, and green, and
+ * bounds the result to +/-INFINITY.
+ *
+ * \param[in] score  Score as string
+ *
+ * \return Integer value corresponding to \p score
+ */
 int
 char2score(const char *score)
 {
-    int score_f = 0;
-
     if (score == NULL) {
+        return 0;
 
     } else if (pcmk_str_is_minus_infinity(score)) {
-        score_f = -CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
+        return -CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
 
     } else if (pcmk_str_is_infinity(score)) {
-        score_f = CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
+        return CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
 
     } else if (pcmk__str_eq(score, "red", pcmk__str_casei)) {
-        score_f = pcmk__score_red;
+        return pcmk__score_red;
 
     } else if (pcmk__str_eq(score, "yellow", pcmk__str_casei)) {
-        score_f = pcmk__score_yellow;
+        return pcmk__score_yellow;
 
     } else if (pcmk__str_eq(score, "green", pcmk__str_casei)) {
-        score_f = pcmk__score_green;
+        return pcmk__score_green;
 
     } else {
         long long score_ll;
 
         pcmk__scan_ll(score, &score_ll, 0LL);
         if (score_ll > CRM_SCORE_INFINITY) {
-            score_f = CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
+            return CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
 
         } else if (score_ll < -CRM_SCORE_INFINITY) {
-            score_f = -CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
+            return -CRM_SCORE_INFINITY;
 
         } else {
-            score_f = (int) score_ll;
+            return (int) score_ll;
         }
     }
-
-    return score_f;
 }
 
 char *
 score2char_stack(int score, char *buf, size_t len)
 {
     CRM_CHECK((buf != NULL) && (len >= sizeof(CRM_MINUS_INFINITY_S)),
               return NULL);
 
     if (score >= CRM_SCORE_INFINITY) {
         strncpy(buf, CRM_INFINITY_S, 9);
     } else if (score <= -CRM_SCORE_INFINITY) {
         strncpy(buf, CRM_MINUS_INFINITY_S , 10);
     } else {
         snprintf(buf, len, "%d", score);
     }
     return buf;
 }
 
 char *
 score2char(int score)
 {
     if (score >= CRM_SCORE_INFINITY) {
         return strdup(CRM_INFINITY_S);
 
     } else if (score <= -CRM_SCORE_INFINITY) {
         return strdup(CRM_MINUS_INFINITY_S);
     }
     return pcmk__itoa(score);
 }