diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/citeproc.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/citeproc.js
index 4ff828418..32a1c5e17 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/citeproc.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/citeproc.js
@@ -2641,21 +2641,20 @@ CSL.Engine.prototype.remapSectionVariable = function (inputList) {
             } else if (item
                       && item.locator
                       &&  this.opt.development_extensions.static_statute_locator) {
-                value = "" + item.locator;
-                var splt = value.split(/\s+/);
+                var splt = item.locator.split(/\s+/);
                 if (CSL.STATUTE_SUBDIV_STRINGS[splt[0]]) {
                     item.label = CSL.STATUTE_SUBDIV_STRINGS[splt[0]];
                 } else if (item.label) {
-                    value = CSL.STATUTE_SUBDIV_STRINGS_REVERSE[item.label] + " " + value;
+                    item.locator = CSL.STATUTE_SUBDIV_STRINGS_REVERSE[item.label] + " " + item.locator;
                 } else {
 					item.label = "page";
-                    value = "p. " + value;
+                    item.locator = "p. " + item.locator;
                 }
             }
-			if (!later_label) {
-				later_label = item.label;
-			}
             if (value) {
+			    if (!later_label) {
+				    later_label = item.label;
+			    }
                 var m = value.match(CSL.STATUTE_SUBDIV_GROUPED_REGEX);
                 item.section_label_count = m.length;
                 var locator = "";