diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/AlignmentStartWithNoTiesComparator.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/AlignmentStartWithNoTiesComparator.java
index 02512c8dc..682c76617 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/AlignmentStartWithNoTiesComparator.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/AlignmentStartWithNoTiesComparator.java
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@ public class AlignmentStartWithNoTiesComparator implements Comparator<SAMRecord>
                 result = cmpContig;
 
             else {
-                if (r1.getAlignmentStart() < r2.getAlignmentStart()) result = -1;
-                else result = 1;
+                if (r1.getAlignmentStart() < r2.getAlignmentStart())
+                    result = -1;
+                else
+                    result = 1;
             }
         }