diff --git a/src/Stylist.php b/src/Stylist.php
index faf7a8cb6465daa1e694c90ba0df9614fa0c9785..23a00e52a11a9fb7750e554a28ed5c3ab13eded3 100644
--- a/src/Stylist.php
+++ b/src/Stylist.php
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ class Stylist
     {
         $textNs = $this->getDocument()->getNamespaceUrl('text');
 
+        $variables = [];
         $vElements = $this->find('text:variable-set');
         foreach ($vElements as $vElement) {
             $name = $vElement->getAttributeNs($textNs, 'name');