diff --git a/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/intel_asm_annotation.c b/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/intel_asm_annotation.c
index 52878fde43e..bb7786ba748 100644
--- a/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/intel_asm_annotation.c
+++ b/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/intel_asm_annotation.c
@@ -185,6 +185,8 @@ annotation_insert_error(struct annotation_info *annotation, unsigned offset,
    if (!annotation_array_ensure_space(annotation))
       return;
 
+   assume(annotation->ann_count > 0);
+
    for (int i = 0; i < annotation->ann_count; i++) {
       struct annotation *cur = &annotation->ann[i];
       struct annotation *next = &annotation->ann[i + 1];
@@ -206,8 +208,6 @@ annotation_insert_error(struct annotation_info *annotation, unsigned offset,
       break;
    }
 
-   assume(ann != NULL);
-
    if (ann->error)
       ralloc_strcat(&ann->error, error);
    else