diff --git a/src/math/lp/gomory.cpp b/src/math/lp/gomory.cpp
index 8c86e0989b0..2ecbc49aca6 100644
--- a/src/math/lp/gomory.cpp
+++ b/src/math/lp/gomory.cpp
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ int gomory::find_basic_var() {
     const row_strip<mpq>& row = lra.get_row(lia.row_of_basic_column(result));
     if (is_gomory_cut_target(row)) 
         return result;
+    result = -1;
 #endif
 
     for (unsigned j : lra.r_basis()) {