An efficient water-based bismuth-mediated addition reaction of carbonyl compound with cyclic allylic halide was developed. The reactions proceeded smoothly in aqueous DMF in the presence of ammonium iodide to afford the corresponding syn-homoallylic alcohols in moderate to good yields with excellent diastereoselectivities (>99:1 syn:anti). Reversal of product diastereoselectivity was observed when heteroaryl aldehyde possessing an adjacent chelating nitrogen atom was employed as substrate. 2019 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.