diff --git a/processing/src/main/java/io/druid/segment/ColumnSelectorBitmapIndexSelector.java b/processing/src/main/java/io/druid/segment/ColumnSelectorBitmapIndexSelector.java
index 0c4b081b7f7..4dbb65a7e05 100644
--- a/processing/src/main/java/io/druid/segment/ColumnSelectorBitmapIndexSelector.java
+++ b/processing/src/main/java/io/druid/segment/ColumnSelectorBitmapIndexSelector.java
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public class ColumnSelectorBitmapIndexSelector implements BitmapIndexSelector
     }
 
     if (!column.getCapabilities().hasBitmapIndexes()) {
-      bitmapFactory.makeEmptyImmutableBitmap();
+      return bitmapFactory.makeEmptyImmutableBitmap();
     }
 
     return column.getBitmapIndex().getBitmap(value);