diff --git a/nano/node/active_transactions.cpp b/nano/node/active_transactions.cpp
index b1bbf6a2de..44d958410c 100644
--- a/nano/node/active_transactions.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/active_transactions.cpp
@@ -326,11 +326,7 @@ void nano::active_transactions::cleanup_election (nano::unique_lock<nano::mutex>
 {
 	debug_assert (!mutex.try_lock ());
 	debug_assert (lock_a.owns_lock ());
-
-	if (election->confirmed ())
-	{
-		debug_assert (recently_confirmed.exists (election->qualified_root));
-	}
+	debug_assert (!election->confirmed () || recently_confirmed.exists (election->qualified_root));
 
 	node.stats.inc (completion_type (*election), nano::to_stat_detail (election->behavior ()));
 	// Keep track of election count by election type