diff --git a/module/zfs/dnode.c b/module/zfs/dnode.c
index ec297a242b2e..7acfc36c87d0 100644
--- a/module/zfs/dnode.c
+++ b/module/zfs/dnode.c
@@ -1561,6 +1561,7 @@ dnode_hold_impl(objset_t *os, uint64_t object, int flag, int slots,
 	dnode_slots_rele(dnc, idx, slots);
 
 	DNODE_VERIFY(dn);
+	ASSERT3P(dnp, !=, NULL);
 	ASSERT3P(dn->dn_dbuf, ==, db);
 	ASSERT3U(dn->dn_object, ==, object);
 	dbuf_rele(db, FTAG);