diff --git a/java/rocksjni/write_batch_test.cc b/java/rocksjni/write_batch_test.cc
index 2690f619e..e9cd2fbba 100644
--- a/java/rocksjni/write_batch_test.cc
+++ b/java/rocksjni/write_batch_test.cc
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ jbyteArray Java_org_rocksdb_WriteBatchTest_getContents(
   for (iter->SeekToFirst(); iter->Valid(); iter->Next()) {
     rocksdb::ParsedInternalKey ikey;
     memset(reinterpret_cast<void*>(&ikey), 0, sizeof(ikey));
-    assert(rocksdb::ParseInternalKey(iter->key(), &ikey));
+    bool parsed = rocksdb::ParseInternalKey(iter->key(), &ikey);
+    assert(parsed);
     switch (ikey.type) {
       case rocksdb::kTypeValue:
         state.append("Put(");