diff --git a/pl/preds.yap b/pl/preds.yap
index 8b8789465..875dc1b81 100644
--- a/pl/preds.yap
+++ b/pl/preds.yap
@@ -877,8 +877,9 @@ predicate_statistics(P,NCls,Sz,ISz) :-
 '$predicate_statistics'(P,M,NCls,Sz,ISz) :-
 	'$static_pred_statistics'(P,M,NCls,Sz,ISz).
 
-predicate_erased_statistics(V,NCls,Sz,ISz) :- var(V), !,
-	'$do_error'(instantiation_error,predicate_statistics(V,NCls,Sz,ISz)).
+predicate_erased_statistics(P,NCls,Sz,ISz) :-
+	current_predicate(_,P),
+	predicate_erased_statistics(P,NCls,Sz,ISz).
 predicate_erased_statistics(M:P,NCls,Sz,ISz) :- !,
 	'$predicate_erased_statistics'(M:P,NCls,Sz,_,ISz).
 predicate_erased_statistics(P,NCls,Sz,ISz) :-