diff --git a/src/variable.cpp b/src/variable.cpp
index 3c7e335acb..cfd16b6471 100644
--- a/src/variable.cpp
+++ b/src/variable.cpp
@@ -3726,4 +3726,5 @@ int VarReader::read(char *str)
 
 int VarReader::read(double *)
 {
+  return 0;
 }