--- a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/jniHandles.hpp	Tue Nov 28 19:02:23 2017 +0100
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/jniHandles.hpp	Tue Nov 28 15:52:32 2017 -0500
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
   static int      _blocks_allocated;            // For debugging/printing
 
   // Fill block with bad_handle values
-  void zap();
+  void zap() NOT_DEBUG_RETURN;
 
   // Free list computation
   void rebuild_free_list();
@@ -219,9 +219,8 @@
 template<bool external_guard>
 inline oop JNIHandles::guard_value(oop value) {
   if (!external_guard) {
-    assert(value != badJNIHandle, "Pointing to zapped jni handle area");
     assert(value != deleted_handle(), "Used a deleted global handle");
-  } else if ((value == badJNIHandle) || (value == deleted_handle())) {
+  } else if (value == deleted_handle()) {
     value = NULL;
   }
   return value;