diff --git a/lib/questionlib.php b/lib/questionlib.php
index 3f2799c48fe..4eda75da4f4 100644
--- a/lib/questionlib.php
+++ b/lib/questionlib.php
@@ -601,8 +601,10 @@ function get_question_options(&$questions) {
 * @param object $cmoptions
 * @param object $attempt  The attempt for which the question sessions are
 *                         to be restored or created.
+* @param mixed either the id of a previous attempt, if this attmpt is
+*                         building on a previous one, or false for a clean attempt.
 */
-function get_question_states(&$questions, $cmoptions, $attempt, $lastattemptid=null) {
+function get_question_states(&$questions, $cmoptions, $attempt, $lastattemptid = false) {
     global $CFG, $QTYPES;
 
     // get the question ids
diff --git a/mod/quiz/attempt.php b/mod/quiz/attempt.php
index 87e5ff364a4..33fa297c5c8 100644
--- a/mod/quiz/attempt.php
+++ b/mod/quiz/attempt.php
@@ -283,7 +283,8 @@
         error('Could not load question options');
     }
 
-    // If the new attempt is to be based on a previous attempt find its id 
+    // If the new attempt is to be based on a previous attempt find its id
+    $lastattemptid = false;
     if ($newattempt and $attempt->attempt > 1 and $quiz->attemptonlast and !$attempt->preview) {
         // Find the previous attempt
         if (!$lastattemptid = get_field('quiz_attempts', 'uniqueid', 'quiz', $attempt->quiz, 'userid', $attempt->userid, 'attempt', $attempt->attempt-1)) {