diff --git a/CRM/Contribute/BAO/Contribution.php b/CRM/Contribute/BAO/Contribution.php
index d0e0f992e2fd..931e33923b9b 100644
--- a/CRM/Contribute/BAO/Contribution.php
+++ b/CRM/Contribute/BAO/Contribution.php
@@ -2321,42 +2321,42 @@ public function composeMessageArray($input, $ids, $values = [], $returnMessageTe
       }
     }
 
+    $eventID = isset($ids['event']) ? (int) $ids['event'] : NULL;
+    $participantID = isset($ids['participant']) ? (int) $ids['participant'] : NULL;
+    $contributionID = (int) $this->id;
+    $contactID = (int) $ids['contact'];
+    $onbehalfDedupeAlert = $ids['onbehalf_dupe_alert'] ?? NULL;
+    // not sure whether it is possible for this not to be an array - load related contacts loads an array but this code was expecting a string
+    // the addition of the casting is in case it could get here & be a string. Added in 4.6 - maybe remove later? This AuthorizeNetIPN & PaypalIPN tests hit this
+    // line having loaded an array
+    $membershipIDs = !empty($ids['membership']) ? (array) $ids['membership'] : NULL;
+    unset($ids);
+
     if ($this->_component != 'contribute') {
       // we are in event mode
       // make sure event exists and is valid
       $event = new CRM_Event_BAO_Event();
-      $event->id = $ids['event'];
-      if ($ids['event'] &&
+      $event->id = $eventID;
+      if ($eventID &&
         !$event->find(TRUE)
       ) {
-        throw new CRM_Core_Exception("Could not find event: " . $ids['event']);
+        throw new CRM_Core_Exception("Could not find event: " . $eventID);
       }
 
       $this->_relatedObjects['event'] = &$event;
 
       $participant = new CRM_Event_BAO_Participant();
-      $participant->id = $ids['participant'];
-      if ($ids['participant'] &&
+      $participant->id = $participantID;
+      if ($participantID &&
         !$participant->find(TRUE)
       ) {
-        throw new CRM_Core_Exception("Could not find participant: " . $ids['participant']);
+        throw new CRM_Core_Exception("Could not find participant: " . $participantID);
       }
       $participant->register_date = CRM_Utils_Date::isoToMysql($participant->register_date);
 
       $this->_relatedObjects['participant'] = &$participant;
     }
 
-    $eventID = isset($ids['event']) ? (int) $ids['event'] : NULL;
-    $participantID = isset($ids['participant']) ? (int) $ids['participant'] : NULL;
-    $contributionID = (int) $this->id;
-    $contactID = (int) $ids['contact'];
-    $onbehalfDedupeAlert = $ids['onbehalf_dupe_alert'] ?? NULL;
-    // not sure whether it is possible for this not to be an array - load related contacts loads an array but this code was expecting a string
-    // the addition of the casting is in case it could get here & be a string. Added in 4.6 - maybe remove later? This AuthorizeNetIPN & PaypalIPN tests hit this
-    // line having loaded an array
-    $membershipIDs = !empty($ids['membership']) ? (array) $ids['membership'] : NULL;
-    unset($ids);
-
     //not really sure what params might be passed in but lets merge em into values
     $values = array_merge($this->_gatherMessageValues($values, $eventID, $participantID), $values);
     $values['is_email_receipt'] = !$returnMessageText;