diff --git a/test/helper.py b/test/helper.py
index 455ff9673..cfe7b86c7 100644
--- a/test/helper.py
+++ b/test/helper.py
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ def tostring(im, format, **options):
 def lena(mode="RGB"): #  , cache={}):
     from PIL import Image
     # im = cache.get(mode)
+    im = None
     if im is None:
         if mode == "RGB":
             im = Image.open("Images/lena.ppm")