diff --git a/internal/ceres/schur_complement_solver.cc b/internal/ceres/schur_complement_solver.cc
index fa921b4fd..1a1becb69 100644
--- a/internal/ceres/schur_complement_solver.cc
+++ b/internal/ceres/schur_complement_solver.cc
@@ -226,9 +226,11 @@ DenseSchurComplementSolver::SolveReducedLinearSystem(
 SparseSchurComplementSolver::SparseSchurComplementSolver(
     const LinearSolver::Options& options)
     : SchurComplementSolver(options) {
-  sparse_cholesky_.reset(
-      SparseCholesky::Create(options.sparse_linear_algebra_library_type,
-                             options.use_postordering ? AMD : NATURAL));
+  if (options.type != ITERATIVE_SCHUR) {
+    sparse_cholesky_.reset(
+        SparseCholesky::Create(options.sparse_linear_algebra_library_type,
+                               options.use_postordering ? AMD : NATURAL));
+  }
 }
 
 SparseSchurComplementSolver::~SparseSchurComplementSolver() {