diff --git a/src/dataencode.cpp b/src/dataencode.cpp
index 71dcecf..7c2907d 100644
--- a/src/dataencode.cpp
+++ b/src/dataencode.cpp
@@ -664,7 +664,6 @@ void from_wire_field(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt,  const FieldDesc* desc, const
     }
     } // end case
 
-    assert(false);
     buf.fault();
 }