diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LineString.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LineString.js
index 45c916a588..5efe6e0a07 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LineString.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Geometry/LineString.js
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ OpenLayers.Geometry.LineString = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Geometry.Curve, {
                 var maxDistance = 0;
                 var indexFarthest = 0;
     
-                for (var index = firstPoint; index < lastPoint; index++) {
+                for (var index = firstPoint, distance; index < lastPoint; index++) {
                     distance = perpendicularDistance(points[firstPoint], points[lastPoint], points[index]);
                     if (distance > maxDistance) {
                         maxDistance = distance;