diff --git a/src/math/polysat/viable.cpp b/src/math/polysat/viable.cpp
index 7922895a9..9ab9cfbbe 100644
--- a/src/math/polysat/viable.cpp
+++ b/src/math/polysat/viable.cpp
@@ -73,10 +73,9 @@ namespace polysat {
 
     viable::entry* viable::alloc_entry(pvar var) {
         if (m_alloc.empty())
-            return alloc(entry);
+            return alloc(entry, var);
         auto* e = m_alloc.back();
-        e->reset();
-        e->var = var;
+        e->reset(var);
         m_alloc.pop_back();
         return e;
     }
diff --git a/src/math/polysat/viable.h b/src/math/polysat/viable.h
index be1d699ae..243f44cd6 100644
--- a/src/math/polysat/viable.h
+++ b/src/math/polysat/viable.h
@@ -57,13 +57,15 @@ namespace polysat {
             bool valid_for_lemma = true;
             pvar var = null_var;
 
-            void reset() {
+            entry(pvar v) { reset(v); }
+
+            void reset(pvar v) {
                 // dll_base<entry>::init(this);  // we never did this in alloc_entry either
                 fi_record::reset();
                 refined = false;
                 active = true;
                 valid_for_lemma = true;
-                var = null_var;
+                var = v;
             }
         };