diff --git a/src/backend/utils/adt/rowtypes.c b/src/backend/utils/adt/rowtypes.c
index cb04a72..516c37b 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/adt/rowtypes.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/adt/rowtypes.c
@@ -1508,7 +1508,11 @@ record_image_cmp(FunctionCallInfo fcinfo)
 						break;
 #endif
 					default:
-						Assert(false);	/* cannot happen */
+						/* cannot happen */
+						elog(ERROR,
+							 "unexpected length of %i found comparing columns of type %s",
+							 (int) tupdesc1->attrs[i1]->attlen,
+							 format_type_be(tupdesc1->attrs[i1]->atttypid));
 				}
 			}
 			else