diff --git a/services/cache.py b/services/cache.py
index df9e1db3..62f10293 100644
--- a/services/cache.py
+++ b/services/cache.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ async def get_cached_author_followers(author_id: int):
         author = json.loads(cached_author)
     if not author:
         return []
-
+    followers = []
     followers_ids = []
     followers_rkey = f"author:followers:{author_id}"
     cached = await redis.execute("GET", followers_rkey)