diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index 0b6d09c..f189720 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ https://github.com/josdejong/jsoneditor
 ## not yet released, version 5.4.0
 
 - Upgraded all dependencies.
+- Fixed #290: `setText()` not working in mode text or code.
 
 
 ## 2016-04-06, version 5.3.0
diff --git a/src/js/textmode.js b/src/js/textmode.js
index b5c185e..15d3689 100644
--- a/src/js/textmode.js
+++ b/src/js/textmode.js
@@ -371,6 +371,8 @@ textmode.getText = function() {
  * @param {String} jsonText
  */
 textmode.setText = function(jsonText) {
+  var text;
+
   if (this.options.escapeUnicode === true) {
     text = util.escapeUnicodeChars(jsonText);
   }