diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 7cadfc0164..c4a6a79fa5 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+5146.	[bug]		Removed an unnecessary assert that could be
+			triggered from PKCS#11 modules during
+			deconstruction. [GL #841]
+
 5143.	[bug]		dnssec-keymgr and dnssec-coverage failed to find
 			key files for zone names ending in ".". [GL #560]
 
diff --git a/lib/dns/openssl_link.c b/lib/dns/openssl_link.c
index b757e2258b..d65ce26ee7 100644
--- a/lib/dns/openssl_link.c
+++ b/lib/dns/openssl_link.c
@@ -160,9 +160,11 @@ mem_alloc(size_t size FLARG) {
 
 static void
 mem_free(void *ptr FLARG) {
-	INSIST(dst__memory_pool != NULL);
-	if (ptr != NULL)
+	if (ptr != NULL) {
+		INSIST(dst__memory_pool != NULL);
+
 		isc__mem_free(dst__memory_pool, ptr FLARG_PASS);
+	}
 }
 
 static void *