diff --git a/sites/all/themes/unl_wdn/template.php b/sites/all/themes/unl_wdn/template.php
index c79c567905b786584ba8c0339dcd755a70ce975e..27b58b0e5ee061476022d709ed42593eafcf4f0c 100644
--- a/sites/all/themes/unl_wdn/template.php
+++ b/sites/all/themes/unl_wdn/template.php
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ function unl_wdn_menu_local_task($variables)
 
 function unl_wdn_status_messages($display)
 {
+    $output = '';
     foreach (drupal_get_messages($display) as $type => $messages) {
         $output .= '<div>' . PHP_EOL;
         if (count($messages) > 1) {