diff --git a/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialog.ts b/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialog.ts
index ad4ce1f330..42603ce250 100644
--- a/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialog.ts
+++ b/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialog.ts
@@ -250,13 +250,15 @@ export class RemoteBookDialog {
 	}
 
 	public async fillVersionDropdown(): Promise<void> {
-		let filtered_assets = (await this.controller.getAssets()).filter(asset => asset.book === this.bookDropdown.value);
+		const assets = await this.controller.getAssets();
+		let filtered_assets = assets.filter(asset => asset.book === this.bookDropdown.value);
 		this.versionDropdown.values = ['-'].concat(filtered_assets.map(asset => asset.version));
 		this.checkValues();
 	}
 
 	public async fillLanguageDropdown(): Promise<void> {
-		let filtered_assets = (await this.controller.getAssets()).filter(asset => asset.book === this.bookDropdown.value &&
+		const assets = await this.controller.getAssets();
+		let filtered_assets = assets.filter(asset => asset.book === this.bookDropdown.value &&
 			asset.version === this.versionDropdown.value);
 		this.languageDropdown.values = ['-'].concat(filtered_assets.map(asset => asset.language));
 		this.checkValues();
diff --git a/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialogModel.ts b/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialogModel.ts
index 83a4d257ff..b261a86ee7 100644
--- a/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialogModel.ts
+++ b/extensions/notebook/src/dialog/remoteBookDialogModel.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { IRelease, IAsset } from '../book/remoteBookController';
 export class RemoteBookDialogModel {
 	private _remoteLocation: string;
 	private _releases: IRelease[] = [];
-	private _assets: IAsset[];
+	private _assets: IAsset[] = [];
 	private _book: RemoteBook;
 
 	constructor() {