diff --git a/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_3/SNC_constructor.h b/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_3/SNC_constructor.h
index f93e584549d..e5bf90033ff 100644
--- a/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_3/SNC_constructor.h
+++ b/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_3/SNC_constructor.h
@@ -2129,16 +2129,14 @@ class SNC_constructor<SNC_indexed_items, SNC_structure_>
 
     Halfedge_iterator e;
     CGAL_forall_edges(e, *this->sncp()) {
-      e->set_index();
-      e->twin()->set_index(e->get_index());
+      e->twin()->set_index(e->new_index());
     }
 
     Halffacet_iterator f;
     CGAL_forall_halffacets(f, *this->sncp()) {
       Halffacet_cycle_iterator fci(f->facet_cycles_begin());
       SHalfedge_handle se(fci);
-      se->set_index();
-      int index(se->get_index());
+      int index(se->new_index());
       for(; fci != f->facet_cycles_end(); ++fci) {
         if(fci.is_shalfedge()) {
           SHalfedge_around_facet_circulator c1(fci), c2(c1);
diff --git a/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_polyhedron_3.h b/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_polyhedron_3.h
index 3eb723d37b7..ef3700f28b9 100644
--- a/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_polyhedron_3.h
+++ b/Nef_3/include/CGAL/Nef_polyhedron_3.h
@@ -490,8 +490,7 @@ protected:
        SFace_handle sf(v->new_sface());
        SM.link_as_isolated_vertex(sv,sf);
        if(first) {
-         sv->set_index();
-         index = sv->get_index();
+         index = sv->new_index();
          first = false;
        } else
          sv->set_index(index);
@@ -512,8 +511,7 @@ protected:
        SM.link_as_isolated_vertex(sv1,sf);
        SM.link_as_isolated_vertex(sv2,sf);
        sv1->set_index(index);
-       sv2->set_index();
-       index = sv2->get_index();
+       index = sv2->new_index();
      }
  };