diff --git a/src/ast/rewriter/arith_rewriter.cpp b/src/ast/rewriter/arith_rewriter.cpp
index a9a59bd6a..0919c973a 100644
--- a/src/ast/rewriter/arith_rewriter.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/rewriter/arith_rewriter.cpp
@@ -651,9 +651,11 @@ br_status arith_rewriter::mk_le_ge_eq_core(expr * arg1, expr * arg2, op_kind kin
         arg1 = new_arg1;
         arg2 = new_arg2;
     }
-    st = factor_le_ge_eq(arg1, arg2, kind, result);
-    if (st != BR_FAILED) 
-        return st;
+    {
+        br_status st1 = factor_le_ge_eq(arg1, arg2, kind, result);
+        if (st1 != BR_FAILED)
+            return st1;
+    }
     expr_ref new_new_arg1(m);
     expr_ref new_new_arg2(m);
     if (m_elim_to_real && elim_to_real(arg1, arg2, new_new_arg1, new_new_arg2)) {