diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 181c2f6cab84030bfd20778e635a44aab9ba8ae5..978c921907c567bc9ddf660f0e7b281597595bd7 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -1968,7 +1968,7 @@ int justify_format(int changes_allowed, filestruct *line, size_t skip)
     assert(*back == '\0' && *front == '\0');
 
     /* This assert merely documents a fact about the loop above. */
-    assert(changes_allowed != 0 || back == front);
+    assert(changes_allowed || back == front);
 
     /* Now back is the new end of line->data. */
     if (back != front) {