stored procedure syntax error on sql statement

I get a SYNTAX ERROR in compiling a stored procedure where I have an SQL statement with a UNION. Its a query which returns 1 row, so I issue the sql as a single SELECT / INTO ... statement. The only way I can get the SPL to compile successfully is if I put the SQL within a foreach loop. Is this normal behavior? I can only assume that the compiler is assuming that the SQL, because it contains a UNION, is going to return more than one row (at least one for each set of data) and therefore complains unless a foreach loop is present. Is anything else going on here? Did I miss this in the documentation? my environment is Sun Solaris 2.6. IDS 7.30 UC 7 Ben