diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_command.cc b/libs/ardour/session_command.cc
index 91e3fb436f..8c64f9764a 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_command.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_command.cc
@@ -404,7 +404,8 @@ Session::GlobalMeteringStateCommand::get_state()
 			case MeterPostFader:
 				meterstr = X_("post");
 				break;
-			default: meterstr = "";
+			default:
+				fatal << string_compose (_("programming error: %1") , "no meter state in Session::GlobalMeteringStateCommand::get_state") << endmsg;
 			}
 
 			child->add_property (X_("meter"), meterstr);