diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/MicropubController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/MicropubController.php
index b8505214..eb6f6ac1 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/MicropubController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/MicropubController.php
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ class MicropubController extends Controller
                 }
                 $data['syndicate'] = [];
                 $targets = array_pluck(config('syndication.targets'), 'uid', 'service.name');
+                $mpSyndicateTo = null;
                 if ($request->has('mp-syndicate-to')) {
                     $mpSyndicateTo = $request->input('mp-syndicate-to');
                 }
diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index e177b5a3..e4f9c44f 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## Version 0.5.7 (2017-05-19)
+  - Hotfix: make sure `mpSyndicateTo` variable exists when accessed in if statements
+
 ## Version 0.5.6 (2017-05-19)
   - Update micropub code to support html-form and json syntax for mp-syndicate-to and photos