diff --git a/DDRec/include/DDRec/Material.h b/DDRec/include/DDRec/Material.h
index 0e9d713963789e4e140fba6f64a8fd7b5b39dfb2..334e41dea527991b01cef03cf03ad377af2f4a06 100644
--- a/DDRec/include/DDRec/Material.h
+++ b/DDRec/include/DDRec/Material.h
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ namespace DD4hep {
 	  _x0 = 0. ;
 	  _lambda = 0. ;
 	}
+
+	return *this ;
       }
 
       /// true if initialized