diff --git a/wp-includes/l10n.php b/wp-includes/l10n.php
index bc256867d..07d6e550b 100644
--- a/wp-includes/l10n.php
+++ b/wp-includes/l10n.php
@@ -404,11 +404,10 @@ function load_theme_textdomain($domain, $path = false) {
  */
 function &get_translations_for_domain( $domain ) {
 	global $l10n;
-	$empty = &new Translations;
-	if ( isset($l10n[$domain]) )
-		return $l10n[$domain];
-	else
-		return $empty;
+	if ( !isset($l10n[$domain]) ) {
+		$l10n[$domain] = &new NOOP_Translations;
+	}
+	return $l10n[$domain];
 }
 
 /**