diff --git a/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/Edge_profile_impl.h b/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/Edge_profile_impl.h
index 3e2885ae07a..558a50bbb23 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/Edge_profile_impl.h
+++ b/Surface_mesh_simplification/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh_simplification/Policies/Edge_collapse/Edge_profile_impl.h
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ void Edge_profile<ECM>::Extract_triangles_and_link()
     }
     v2 = v;
   }
-  if(v != vR()){
+  if(v != vR() && (v!= vertex_descriptor())){
     mLink.push_back(v);
   }
 
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ void Edge_profile<ECM>::Extract_triangles_and_link()
     }
     v2 = v;
   }
-  if(v != vL()){
+  if(v != vL() && (v!= vertex_descriptor())){
     mLink.push_back(v);
   }