--- a/src/hotspot/share/opto/loopnode.cpp	Sun Jan 14 16:42:47 2018 -0800
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/opto/loopnode.cpp	Mon Jan 15 09:17:25 2018 +0100
@@ -1331,8 +1331,7 @@
           n->set_req(i, old_new[n->in(i)->_idx]);
         }
       }
-      if (n->in(0) != NULL) {
-        assert(n->in(0) == cle_tail, "node not on backedge?");
+      if (n->in(0) != NULL && n->in(0) == cle_tail) {
         n->set_req(0, le_tail);
       }
       igvn->register_new_node_with_optimizer(n);