diff --git a/bin/tools/translate.py b/bin/tools/translate.py
index 16a15eb4013..0a0c78915b6 100644
--- a/bin/tools/translate.py
+++ b/bin/tools/translate.py
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ def trans_generate(lang, modules):
 
 def trans_load(db_name, filename, lang, strict=False):
 	logger = netsvc.Logger()
+	data=''
 	try:
 		data=file(filename,'r').read().split('\n')
 	except IOError: