diff --git a/src/ifcgeom/kernels/cgal/CgalKernel.cpp b/src/ifcgeom/kernels/cgal/CgalKernel.cpp
index f2d8a6c6b7..45b8d806a8 100644
--- a/src/ifcgeom/kernels/cgal/CgalKernel.cpp
+++ b/src/ifcgeom/kernels/cgal/CgalKernel.cpp
@@ -2115,6 +2115,8 @@ bool CgalKernel::convert_impl(const taxonomy::boolean_result::ptr br, Conversion
 	*/
 
 	first = true;
+	// Whether the base operand ever contributed a Nef polyhedron to `a`.
+	bool base_operand_succeeded = false;
 
 	std::list<cgal_shape_t> ops;
 	std::list<CGAL::Nef_polyhedron_3<Kernel_>> nefops;
@@ -2137,6 +2139,7 @@ bool CgalKernel::convert_impl(const taxonomy::boolean_result::ptr br, Conversion
 
 			if (first) {
 				a = nef;
+				base_operand_succeeded = true;
 			} else {
 				if (br->operation == taxonomy::boolean_result::SUBTRACTION) {
 					second_operand_collector.add_polyhedron(nef);
@@ -2153,6 +2156,11 @@ bool CgalKernel::convert_impl(const taxonomy::boolean_result::ptr br, Conversion
 		first = false;
 	}
 
+	if (!base_operand_succeeded && br->operation != taxonomy::boolean_result::UNION) {
+        logger().Message(Logger::LOG_ERROR, "GEO", 105, "Could not process base operand of boolean operation:", br->instance);
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	if (br->operation == taxonomy::boolean_result::SUBTRACTION && second_operand_collector_size) {
 		a -= second_operand_collector.get_union();
 	}