diff --git a/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/JlinkTask.java b/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/JlinkTask.java
index 1e57ba9558cfa..34a53e1df4ca5 100644
--- a/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/JlinkTask.java
+++ b/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/JlinkTask.java
@@ -549,7 +549,6 @@ public Set<ModuleReference> findAll() {
      * version.
      */
     private static void checkVersion(ModuleFinder finder) {
-        assert LinkableRuntimeImage.isLinkableRuntime() == false;
         assert finder.find("java.base").isPresent();
 
         // use the version of java.base module, if present, as