diff --git a/wp-includes/post-template.php b/wp-includes/post-template.php
index 37b0e782cf..5add75927a 100644
--- a/wp-includes/post-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/post-template.php
@@ -247,7 +247,6 @@ function the_excerpt() {
  */
 function get_the_excerpt($deprecated = '') {
 	global $post;
-	$output = '';
 	$output = $post->post_excerpt;
 	if ( post_password_required($post) ) {
 		$output = __('There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.');