diff --git a/src/mesa/program/ir_to_mesa.cpp b/src/mesa/program/ir_to_mesa.cpp
index 19f3847ab5b..af6d7345a54 100644
--- a/src/mesa/program/ir_to_mesa.cpp
+++ b/src/mesa/program/ir_to_mesa.cpp
@@ -2456,7 +2456,7 @@ get_mesa_program(GLcontext *ctx, struct gl_shader_program *shader_program,
       break;
    default:
       assert(!"should not be reached");
-      break;
+      return NULL;
    }
 
    validate_ir_tree(shader->ir);