diff --git a/src/wp-includes/author-template.php b/src/wp-includes/author-template.php
index 43945cde8aa5..3ad3f90ce0bd 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/author-template.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/author-template.php
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ function the_author( $deprecated = '', $deprecated_echo = true ) {
  * @return string|void The author's display name.
  */
 function get_the_modified_author() {
-	if ( $last_id = get_post_meta( get_post()->ID, '_edit_last', true ) ) {
+	$last_id = get_post_meta( get_post()->ID, '_edit_last', true );
+
+	if ( $last_id ) {
 		$last_user = get_userdata( $last_id );
 
 		/**