diff --git a/src/activity_handlers.cpp b/src/activity_handlers.cpp
index b6a796fa7f276..490f10f26527c 100644
--- a/src/activity_handlers.cpp
+++ b/src/activity_handlers.cpp
@@ -413,6 +413,7 @@ static void set_up_butchery( player_activity &act, player &u, butcher_type actio
             if( !has_rope && !b_rack_present ) {
                 u.add_msg_if_player( m_info,
                                      _( "To perform a full butchery on a corpse this big, you need either a butchering rack, a nearby hanging meathook, or both a long rope in your inventory and a nearby tree to hang the corpse from." ) );
+                act.targets.pop_back();
                 return;
             }
             if( !has_table_nearby ) {