diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/evaluators/CountVariants.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/evaluators/CountVariants.java
index 72058ba7b..e83434037 100755
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/evaluators/CountVariants.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/evaluators/CountVariants.java
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@ public class CountVariants extends VariantEvaluator implements StandardEval {
                     nVariantLoci++;
                     nMixed++;
                     break;
+                case SYMBOLIC:
+                    // ignore symbolic alleles, but don't fail
+                    // todo - consistent way of treating symbolic alleles thgoughout codebase?
+                    break;
                 default:
                     throw new ReviewedStingException("Unexpected VariantContext type " + vc1.getType());
             }