diff --git a/Michelf/Markdown.php b/Michelf/Markdown.php
index 4f08222..6053ec5 100644
--- a/Michelf/Markdown.php
+++ b/Michelf/Markdown.php
@@ -2949,7 +2949,8 @@ abstract class _MarkdownExtra_TmpImpl extends \Michelf\Markdown {
 			$text .= "<div class=\"footnotes\">\n";
 			$text .= "<hr". $this->empty_element_suffix ."\n";
 			$text .= "<ol>\n\n";
-			
+
+			$attr = "";
 			if ($this->fn_backlink_class != "") {
 				$class = $this->fn_backlink_class;
 				$class = $this->encodeAttribute($class);