diff --git a/parser/parser.go b/parser/parser.go
index 3a1f8e0..0a8af5b 100644
--- a/parser/parser.go
+++ b/parser/parser.go
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ func (p *parser) parseStatement() ast.Statement {
 	switch p.curToken.Type {
 	case token.LET:
 		l := p.parseLetStatement()
+		if l == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
 		return l
 	case token.S_START:
 		p.nextToken()
@@ -199,7 +202,7 @@ func (p *parser) parseLetStatement() *ast.LetStatement {
 	stmt.Name = &ast.Identifier{TokenAble: ast.TokenAble{Token: p.curToken}, Value: p.curToken.Literal}
 
 	if !p.expectPeek(token.ASSIGN) {
-		return nil
+		return stmt
 	}
 
 	p.nextToken()
diff --git a/variables_test.go b/variables_test.go
index a3d2c89..c540974 100644
--- a/variables_test.go
+++ b/variables_test.go
@@ -28,6 +28,20 @@ func Test_Let_Reassignment(t *testing.T) {
 	r.Equal("bar\n    \n  \nbaz", strings.TrimSpace(s))
 }
 
+func Test_Let_Ident_NotInitialized(t *testing.T) {
+	r := require.New(t)
+	input := `<% let foo
+		if (foo){
+			foo = 1
+		}
+	%>`
+
+	ctx := NewContext()
+
+	_, err := Render(input, ctx)
+	r.Error(err)
+}
+
 func Test_Let_Reassignment_UnknownIdent(t *testing.T) {
 	r := require.New(t)
 	input := `<% foo = "baz" %>`