diff --git a/parser/parser.go b/parser/parser.go
index d5ccc6b..3a1f8e0 100644
--- a/parser/parser.go
+++ b/parser/parser.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package parser
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"reflect"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -108,9 +107,7 @@ func (p *parser) parseProgram() *ast.Program {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if stmt != nil &&
-			(reflect.ValueOf(stmt).Kind() == reflect.Ptr && !reflect.ValueOf(stmt).IsNil()) &&
-			strings.TrimSpace(stmt.String()) != "" {
+		if stmt != nil && strings.TrimSpace(stmt.String()) != "" {
 			program.Statements = append(program.Statements, stmt)
 		}
 
diff --git a/variables_test.go b/variables_test.go
index 55d0b02..a3d2c89 100644
--- a/variables_test.go
+++ b/variables_test.go
@@ -27,19 +27,7 @@ func Test_Let_Reassignment(t *testing.T) {
 	r.NoError(err)
 	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" %>`