diff --git a/src/utils/bedFile/bedFile.cpp b/src/utils/bedFile/bedFile.cpp
index 8e9a598a3c52cf7ac2f41af27d69a7c2c951e0be..9794242a2331b7e5d46697a0121c5c66768612a6 100644
--- a/src/utils/bedFile/bedFile.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/bedFile/bedFile.cpp
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ BedLineStatus BedFile::GetNextBed(BED &bed, int &lineNum, bool forceSorted) {
                 exit(1);
             }
         }
+        else {
+            return status;
+        }
     }
 
     // default if file is closed or EOF