diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
index 22f60d4eb..ad5f83cc3 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ static const struct TargetPropertyNode : public cmGeneratorExpressionNode
           << target
           << "\" not found.";
         reportError(context, content->GetOriginalExpression(), e.str());
+        return std::string();
         }
       propertyName = parameters.at(1);
       }