diff --git a/ext/tag_list/main.php b/ext/tag_list/main.php
index aff12bb6..c97ebac4 100644
--- a/ext/tag_list/main.php
+++ b/ext/tag_list/main.php
@@ -297,13 +297,15 @@ class TagList extends Extension {
 		
 		$lastLetter = "";
 		foreach($tag_data as $row) {
-			$h_tag = html_escape($row['tag']);
-			$count = $row['count'];
-			if($lastLetter != mb_strtolower(substr($h_tag, 0, count($starts_with)+1))) {
-				$lastLetter = mb_strtolower(substr($h_tag, 0, count($starts_with)+1));
-				$html .= "<p>$lastLetter<br>";
+			$tag = $row['tag'];
+			if($lastLetter != mb_strtolower(substr($tag, 0, count($starts_with)+1))) {
+				$lastLetter = mb_strtolower(substr($tag, 0, count($starts_with)+1));
+				$h_lastLetter = html_escape($lastLetter); 
+				$html .= "<p>$h_lastLetter<br>";
 			}
-			$link = $this->tag_link($row['tag']);
+			$link = $this->tag_link($tag);
+			$h_tag = html_escape($tag);
+			$count = $row['count'];
 			$html .= "<a href='$link'>$h_tag&nbsp;($count)</a>\n";
 		}