diff --git a/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Plugin/Block/ForumBlockBase.php b/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Plugin/Block/ForumBlockBase.php
index 6b760a95489..d7dfc31ee95 100644
--- a/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Plugin/Block/ForumBlockBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Plugin/Block/ForumBlockBase.php
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ abstract class ForumBlockBase extends BlockBase {
    */
   public function build() {
     $result = $this->buildForumQuery()->execute();
+    $elements = array();
     if ($node_title_list = node_title_list($result)) {
       $elements['forum_list'] = $node_title_list;
       $elements['forum_more'] = array(
diff --git a/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Tests/ForumBlockTest.php b/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Tests/ForumBlockTest.php
index 3799288956d..1295c822aaf 100644
--- a/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Tests/ForumBlockTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/forum/lib/Drupal/forum/Tests/ForumBlockTest.php
@@ -55,13 +55,14 @@ class ForumBlockTest extends WebTestBase {
   public function testNewForumTopicsBlock() {
     $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
 
-    // Create 5 forum topics.
-    $topics = $this->createForumTopics();
-
     // Enable the new forum topics block.
     $block = $this->drupalPlaceBlock('forum_new_block');
     $this->drupalGet('');
 
+    // Create 5 forum topics.
+    $topics = $this->createForumTopics();
+
+
     $this->assertLink(t('More'), 0, 'New forum topics block has a "more"-link.');
     $this->assertLinkByHref('forum', 0, 'New forum topics block has a "more"-link.');