http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=912828


in reply to Re^2: Use of uninitialized value error
in thread Use of uninitialized value error

You do get a warning if you try to interpolate an undefined variable into a string, but not from assigning it to another variable.

If that is good or bad in OPs case depends on if it is ok for the variable to be undefined or not.