diff --git a/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree_iterator.hpp b/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree_iterator.hpp
index 1dfa96ea00b..0ab04323cb8 100644
--- a/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree_iterator.hpp
+++ b/octree/include/pcl/octree/impl/octree_iterator.hpp
@@ -133,15 +133,16 @@ namespace pcl
         if ( (this->max_octree_depth_>=stack_entry.depth_) &&
              (stack_entry.node_->getNodeType () == BRANCH_NODE) )
         {
-          unsigned char child_idx;
-
           // current node is a branch node
           BranchNode* current_branch =
               static_cast<BranchNode*> (stack_entry.node_);
 
+          unsigned char child_idx = 8;
+
           // add all children to stack
-          for (child_idx = 0; child_idx < 8; ++child_idx)
+          do
           {
+            --child_idx;
 
             // if child exist
 
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ namespace pcl
 
               current_key.popBranch();
             }
-          }
+          } while (child_idx != 0);
         }
 
         if (stack_.size ())