diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp
index 38dba1d3d5f..30f147b9ae7 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp
@@ -190,9 +190,8 @@ bool Verifier::verify(InstanceKlass* klass, bool should_verify_class, TRAPS) {
   // effect (sic!) for external_name(), but instead of doing that, we opt to
   // explicitly push the hashcode in here. This is signify the following block
   // is IMPORTANT:
-  if (klass->java_mirror() != nullptr) {
-    klass->java_mirror()->identity_hash();
-  }
+  assert(klass->java_mirror() != nullptr, "must be");
+  klass->java_mirror()->identity_hash();
 
   if (!is_eligible_for_verification(klass, should_verify_class)) {
     return true;