diff --git a/wp-includes/link-template.php b/wp-includes/link-template.php
index 9a498b6464..70cc392746 100644
--- a/wp-includes/link-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/link-template.php
@@ -109,12 +109,12 @@ function get_permalink($id = 0, $leavename = false) {
 		$category = '';
 		if ( strpos($permalink, '%category%') !== false ) {
 			$cats = get_the_category($post->ID);
-			if ( $cats )
+			if ( $cats ) {
 				usort($cats, '_usort_terms_by_ID'); // order by ID
-			$category = $cats[0]->slug;
-			if ( $parent=$cats[0]->parent )
-				$category = get_category_parents($parent, false, '/', true) . $category;
-
+				$category = $cats[0]->slug;
+				if ( $parent = $cats[0]->parent )
+					$category = get_category_parents($parent, false, '/', true) . $category;
+			}
 			// show default category in permalinks, without
 			// having to assign it explicitly
 			if ( empty($category) ) {