diff --git a/sys/boot/ficl/softwords/softcore.pl b/sys/boot/ficl/softwords/softcore.pl
index fc1e522f5ce..8660b5b2916 100755
--- a/sys/boot/ficl/softwords/softcore.pl
+++ b/sys/boot/ficl/softwords/softcore.pl
@@ -77,10 +77,7 @@ print <<EOF
 
 void ficlCompileSoftCore(FICL_VM *pVM)
 {
-    int ret = ficlExec(pVM, softWords);
-    if (ret == VM_ERREXIT)
-        assert(FALSE);
-    return;
+    assert(ficlExec(pVM, softWords) != VM_ERREXIT);
 }