diff --git a/python/waterer.py b/python/waterer.py
index 434ff8242..4a76f7425 100644
--- a/python/waterer.py
+++ b/python/waterer.py
@@ -1542,6 +1542,7 @@ def combine_indels(self, qinfo, best, debug=False):
             if 'v' in qinfo['new_indels']:  # if sw kicks up an additional v indel that vsearch didn't find, we rerun sw with <self.args.no_indel_gap_open_penalty>
                 if debug:
                     print '      sw called a v indel, but there\'s already a vsearch v indel, so give up (rerun sw forbidding indels)'
+                del self.info['indels'][qinfo['name']]
                 return None
 
             vs_indelfo = self.info['indels'][qinfo['name']]