diff --git a/block/nbd-client.c b/block/nbd-client.c
index 5168a2cab6..ac93c4c0d0 100644
--- a/block/nbd-client.c
+++ b/block/nbd-client.c
@@ -189,9 +189,10 @@ static int nbd_co_receive_reply(NBDClientSession *s,
     s->requests[i].receiving = true;
     qemu_coroutine_yield();
     s->requests[i].receiving = false;
-    if (s->reply.handle != request->handle || !s->ioc || s->quit) {
+    if (!s->ioc || s->quit) {
         ret = -EIO;
     } else {
+        assert(s->reply.handle == request->handle);
         ret = -s->reply.error;
         if (qiov && s->reply.error == 0) {
             assert(request->len == iov_size(qiov->iov, qiov->niov));