diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/prims/vectorSupport.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/prims/vectorSupport.cpp
index 58f22d38d33..7d80ed327fd 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/prims/vectorSupport.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/prims/vectorSupport.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ bool VectorSupport::is_unsigned_op(jint id) {
 }
 
 const char* VectorSupport::lanetype2name(LaneType lane_type) {
-  assert(lane_type >= LT_FLOAT && lane_type <= LT_LONG, "");
   const char* lanetype2name[] = {
     "float",
     "double",
@@ -209,7 +208,11 @@ const char* VectorSupport::lanetype2name(LaneType lane_type) {
     "int",
     "long"
   };
-  return lanetype2name[lane_type];
+  if (lane_type >= LT_FLOAT && lane_type <= LT_LONG) {
+    return lanetype2name[lane_type];
+  }
+  assert(false, "unknown lane type: %d", (int)lane_type);
+  return "illegal";
 }
 
 int VectorSupport::vop2ideal(jint id, LaneType lt) {