diff --git a/scipost_django/journals/models/publication.py b/scipost_django/journals/models/publication.py
index d1c9463fe48f9962e883301b279aba33f2473238..79ea588fb3d198b9c028f3295fa506490e42267d 100644
--- a/scipost_django/journals/models/publication.py
+++ b/scipost_django/journals/models/publication.py
@@ -307,8 +307,7 @@ class Publication(models.Model):
         for entry in indexed_author_list:
             padded_entry = entry + [None] * (max_length - len(entry))
             padded_list.append(padded_entry)
-        else:
-            padded_list = []
+
         # Save into the calculated field for future purposes.
         Publication.objects.filter(id=self.id).update(
             cf_author_affiliation_indices_list=padded_list