diff --git a/templates/widgets/modal/modal.julius b/templates/widgets/modal/modal.julius
index 0910a34a4..9d4ccf539 100644
--- a/templates/widgets/modal/modal.julius
+++ b/templates/widgets/modal/modal.julius
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
-  if (modal = document.querySelector('#modal-' + #{String modalId'})) {
+  var modal = document.querySelector('#modal-' + #{String modalId'});
+  if (modal) {
     window.utils.setup('modal', modal);
   }
 });