diff --git a/update_remote_ids.py b/update_remote_ids.py
index 015a56e470292552008ff1a26f13068d8cc816e0..23679421ae37b25ed44312de2f02c5cfee50c916 100755
--- a/update_remote_ids.py
+++ b/update_remote_ids.py
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ parser.add_argument('--json', help='Output in json format', action="store_true")
 parser.add_argument('--nocert', help='Disable HTTPS certificate validation', action="store_true")
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
-output = '' 
-
 context = ssl._create_default_https_context()
 if args.nocert:
     context = ssl._create_unverified_context()
@@ -19,8 +17,6 @@ if args.nocert:
 response = urllib2.urlopen(url=args.discofeed_url, context=context)
 discofeed_json = json.loads(response.read())
 
-
-
 with open(args.file_path, 'w') as outfile:
     if args.json:
         json_output = {"identity_provider": {"remote_ids": []}}
@@ -28,6 +24,7 @@ with open(args.file_path, 'w') as outfile:
        	    json_output['identity_provider']['remote_ids'].append(org['entityID'])
     	json.dump(json_output, outfile)
     else:
+	output = ''
         for org in discofeed_json:
             output = output + org['entityID'] + os.linesep
         outfile.write(output)