diff --git a/fs/btrfs/send.c b/fs/btrfs/send.c
index cfbd3ab67911..cc57a97860d8 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/send.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/send.c
@@ -7185,8 +7185,8 @@ static int tree_move_down(struct btrfs_path *path, int *level, u64 reada_min_gen
 	u64 reada_done = 0;
 
 	lockdep_assert_held_read(&parent->fs_info->commit_root_sem);
+	ASSERT(*level != 0);
 
-	BUG_ON(*level == 0);
 	eb = btrfs_read_node_slot(parent, slot);
 	if (IS_ERR(eb))
 		return PTR_ERR(eb);