diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Translate.php b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Translate.php
index bbf0183a77f..d558e681cf9 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Translate.php
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Translate.php
@@ -572,7 +572,6 @@ protected function _canUseCache()
      */
     protected function _getTranslatedString($text, $code)
     {
-        $translated = '';
         if (array_key_exists($code, $this->getData())) {
             $translated = $this->_data[$code];
         } elseif (array_key_exists($text, $this->getData())) {