diff --git a/lisp/gnus/gnus-art.el b/lisp/gnus/gnus-art.el
index 04c1309963b..56a79951b0c 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/gnus-art.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/gnus-art.el
@@ -3732,6 +3732,7 @@ commands:
 \\[gnus-article-describe-briefly]\t Describe the current mode briefly
 \\[gnus-info-find-node]\t Go to the Gnus info node"
   (interactive)
+  (kill-all-local-variables)
   (gnus-simplify-mode-line)
   (setq mode-name "Article")
   (setq major-mode 'gnus-article-mode)