diff --git a/src/tactic/arith/card2bv_tactic.cpp b/src/tactic/arith/card2bv_tactic.cpp
index 933b687b4..7c715e6e7 100644
--- a/src/tactic/arith/card2bv_tactic.cpp
+++ b/src/tactic/arith/card2bv_tactic.cpp
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ public:
         unsigned size = g->size();
         expr_ref new_f1(m), new_f2(m);
         proof_ref new_pr1(m), new_pr2(m);
-        for (unsigned idx = 0; idx < size; idx++) {
+        for (unsigned idx = 0; !g->inconsistent() && idx < g->size(); idx++) {
             m_rw1(g->form(idx), new_f1, new_pr1);
             TRACE("card2bv", tout << "Rewriting " << mk_ismt2_pp(new_f1.get(), m) << std::endl;);
             m_rw2.rewrite(new_f1, new_f2);