diff --git a/src/chain.h b/src/chain.h
index ecc2ae732f8..1a499b07cc5 100644
--- a/src/chain.h
+++ b/src/chain.h
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ public:
 
     uint256 GetBlockHash() const
     {
+        assert(phashBlock != nullptr);
         return *phashBlock;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 4c694a2c21c..d53661f1f2c 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -2263,7 +2263,6 @@ bool CChainState::ConnectBlock(const CBlock& block, BlockValidationState& state,
         m_blockman.m_dirty_blockindex.insert(pindex);
     }
 
-    assert(pindex->phashBlock);
     // add this block to the view's block chain
     view.SetBestBlock(pindex->GetBlockHash());