diff --git wp-content/themes/twentyfourteen/inc/widgets.php wp-content/themes/twentyfourteen/inc/widgets.php
index 61c1160..1ef284f 100644
--- wp-content/themes/twentyfourteen/inc/widgets.php
+++ wp-content/themes/twentyfourteen/inc/widgets.php
@@ -47,7 +47,12 @@ class Twenty_Fourteen_Ephemera_Widget extends WP_Widget {
 	 * @param array $instance An array of settings for this widget instance.
 	 */
 	public function widget( $args, $instance ) {
-		$format = $instance['format'];
+
+		if ( array_key_exists( 'format', $instance ) ) :
+			$format = $instance['format'];
+		else :
+			$format = 'aside';
+		endif;
 
 		switch ( $format ) {
 			case 'image':