diff --git a/modules/img/base/src/composite_mask.cc b/modules/img/base/src/composite_mask.cc
index 97591d2727a2684e0c5a2a41f9383924a7617868..80a0a57cd8c19635825510399d63ca6f7a795ec7 100644
--- a/modules/img/base/src/composite_mask.cc
+++ b/modules/img/base/src/composite_mask.cc
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ OpBase* CompositeMask::create_op_(const String& name)
   if(name=="AND") return new AndOp;
   else if(name=="OR") return new OrOp;
   else if(name=="XOR") return new XorOp;
-  else throw("Unknown Operator");return new AndOp;
+  else throw("Unknown Operator");
+  return new AndOp;
 }