diff --git a/Tetrahedral_remeshing/include/CGAL/Tetrahedral_remeshing/internal/tetrahedral_remeshing_helpers.h b/Tetrahedral_remeshing/include/CGAL/Tetrahedral_remeshing/internal/tetrahedral_remeshing_helpers.h
index 5814fc4fd289..06567f9dbe31 100644
--- a/Tetrahedral_remeshing/include/CGAL/Tetrahedral_remeshing/internal/tetrahedral_remeshing_helpers.h
+++ b/Tetrahedral_remeshing/include/CGAL/Tetrahedral_remeshing/internal/tetrahedral_remeshing_helpers.h
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ inline int indices(const int& i, const int& j)
   CGAL_assertion(i < 4 && j < 3);
   if(i < 4 && j < 3)
     return indices_table[i][j];
-  else
-    return -1;
+  CGAL_error_msg("Invalid indices provided");
+  return 0;
 }
 
 template<typename Gt, typename Point>