diff --git a/libavcodec/mpegvideo_xvmc.c b/libavcodec/mpegvideo_xvmc.c
index 121a50ec01..dc5dd74ecb 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mpegvideo_xvmc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mpegvideo_xvmc.c
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 void ff_xvmc_init_block(MpegEncContext *s)
 {
     struct xvmc_render_state *render = (struct xvmc_render_state*)s->current_picture.data[2];
-    assert(render);
     if (!render || render->magic != AV_XVMC_RENDER_MAGIC) {
         assert(0);
         return; // make sure that this is a render packet