diff --git a/workflow/scripts/parseMeta.py b/workflow/scripts/parseMeta.py
index f669cfa5f157aac7ec658c6cf6174ed98ff467fc..4797610f870f8e8f22024e0198dc0255c0829073 100644
--- a/workflow/scripts/parseMeta.py
+++ b/workflow/scripts/parseMeta.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ def get_args():
 def main():
     args = get_args()
     metaFile = pd.read_csv(args.metaFile,sep=",",header=0)
+    endsManual = ""
 
     # Check replicate RID metadata from 'File.csv'
     if (args.parameter == "repRID"):