diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UnifiedGenotyperEngine.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UnifiedGenotyperEngine.java
index ba4b22445..8829f4407 100755
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UnifiedGenotyperEngine.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UnifiedGenotyperEngine.java
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ public class UnifiedGenotyperEngine {
             VariantContext vcInput = UnifiedGenotyperEngine.getVCFromAllelesRod(tracker, ref, rawContext.getLocation(), false, logger, UAC.alleles);
             if ( vcInput == null )
                 return null;
-            vc = new VariantContextBuilder(vcInput).source("UG_call").noID().referenceBaseForIndel(ref.getBase()).make();
+            vc = new VariantContextBuilder(vcInput).source("UG_call").noID().referenceBaseForIndel(ref.getBase()).attributes(new HashMap<String, Object>()).make();
         } else {
             // deal with bad/non-standard reference bases
             if ( !Allele.acceptableAlleleBases(new byte[]{ref.getBase()}) )