diff --git a/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY.h b/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY.h
index 6c02e5f1dd6..d5bf4f5c8b3 100644
--- a/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY.h
+++ b/Stream_support/include/CGAL/IO/PLY.h
@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@ public:
         t = property->buffer();
         return;
       }
+    t = {};
   }
 
   template <typename Type>
@@ -389,6 +390,7 @@ public:
         t = property->buffer();
         return;
       }
+    t = {};
   }
 
   void assign (double& t, const char* tag)
@@ -410,6 +412,7 @@ public:
           
         return;
       }
+    t = {};
   }
   
 };
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/Surface_mesh.h b/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/Surface_mesh.h
index 8985f14dc6d..b55bf59423d 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/Surface_mesh.h
+++ b/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/Surface_mesh/Surface_mesh.h
@@ -2212,22 +2212,35 @@ private: //------------------------------------------------------- private data
     std::vector<internal::PLY::Abstract_property_printer<FIndex>*> fprinters;
     internal::PLY::fill_header (os, sm, fprinters);
 
+    
     std::vector<internal::PLY::Abstract_property_printer<EIndex>*> eprinters;
     if (sm.template properties<EIndex>().size() > 1)
     {
-      os << "element edge " << sm.number_of_edges() << std::endl;
-      os << "property int v0" << std::endl;
-      os << "property int v1" << std::endl;
-      internal::PLY::fill_header (os, sm, eprinters);
+      std::ostringstream oss;
+      internal::PLY::fill_header (oss, sm, eprinters);
+
+      if (!eprinters.empty())
+      {
+        os << "element edge " << sm.number_of_edges() << std::endl;
+        os << "property int v0" << std::endl;
+        os << "property int v1" << std::endl;
+        os << oss.str();
+      }
     }
 
     std::vector<internal::PLY::Abstract_property_printer<HIndex>*> hprinters;
     if (sm.template properties<HIndex>().size() > 1)
     {
-      os << "element halfedge " << sm.number_of_halfedges() << std::endl;
-      os << "property int source" << std::endl;
-      os << "property int target" << std::endl;
-      internal::PLY::fill_header (os, sm, hprinters);
+      std::ostringstream oss;
+      internal::PLY::fill_header (oss, sm, hprinters);
+
+      if (!hprinters.empty())
+      {
+        os << "element halfedge " << sm.number_of_halfedges() << std::endl;
+        os << "property int source" << std::endl;
+        os << "property int target" << std::endl;
+        os << oss.str();
+      }
     }
 
     os << "end_header" << std::endl;