diff --git a/posts.py b/posts.py
index 326677c69..272126773 100644
--- a/posts.py
+++ b/posts.py
@@ -1072,6 +1072,7 @@ def _create_post_cw_from_reply(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     """If this is a reply and the original post has a CW
     then use the same CW
     """
+    reply_to_json = None
     if in_reply_to and not sensitive:
         # locate the post which this is a reply to and check if
         # it has a content warning. If it does then reproduce
@@ -1080,16 +1081,16 @@ def _create_post_cw_from_reply(base_dir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
             locate_post(base_dir, nickname, domain, in_reply_to)
         if reply_post_filename:
             reply_to_json = load_json(reply_post_filename)
-            if reply_to_json:
-                if reply_to_json.get('object'):
-                    if reply_to_json['object'].get('sensitive'):
-                        if reply_to_json['object']['sensitive']:
-                            sensitive = True
-                            if reply_to_json['object'].get('summary'):
-                                summary = \
-                                    get_summary_from_post(reply_to_json,
-                                                          system_language,
-                                                          languages_understood)
+    if reply_to_json:
+        if reply_to_json.get('object'):
+            if reply_to_json['object'].get('sensitive'):
+                if reply_to_json['object']['sensitive']:
+                    sensitive = True
+                    if reply_to_json['object'].get('summary'):
+                        summary = \
+                            get_summary_from_post(reply_to_json,
+                                                  system_language,
+                                                  languages_understood)
 
     return sensitive, summary