diff --git a/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c b/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c
index afc26d4..b686651 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c
@@ -6028,7 +6028,8 @@ get_variable(Var *var, int levelsup, bool istoplevel, deparse_context *context)
 	else if (attnum > 0)
 	{
 		/* Get column name to use from the colinfo struct */
-		Assert(attnum <= colinfo->num_cols);
+		if (attnum > colinfo->num_cols)
+			elog(ERROR, "cannot decompile bogus attnum: %d", attnum);
 		attname = colinfo->colnames[attnum - 1];
 		Assert(attname != NULL);
 	}