diff --git a/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c b/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c
index 6c656586e8..6ba2b4a5ae 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/adt/ruleutils.c
@@ -4766,12 +4766,13 @@ make_ruledef(StringInfo buf, HeapTuple ruletup, TupleDesc rulettc,
 	/* these could be nulls */
 	fno = SPI_fnumber(rulettc, "ev_qual");
 	ev_qual = SPI_getvalue(ruletup, rulettc, fno);
+	Assert(ev_qual != NULL);
 
 	fno = SPI_fnumber(rulettc, "ev_action");
 	ev_action = SPI_getvalue(ruletup, rulettc, fno);
-	if (ev_action != NULL)
-		actions = (List *) stringToNode(ev_action);
-
+	Assert(ev_action != NULL);
+	actions = (List *) stringToNode(ev_action);
+		
 	ev_relation = table_open(ev_class, AccessShareLock);
 
 	/*