diff --git a/src/managesieve/main.c b/src/managesieve/main.c
index 7cf2f55c695689fc3b849d565f5e4f61f7c3ca19..2a4ca47b20cb70f647295ee0e72c5c0e4c38e8c4 100644
--- a/src/managesieve/main.c
+++ b/src/managesieve/main.c
@@ -212,12 +212,11 @@ static void login_client_failed(const struct master_login_client *client,
 
 static void client_connected(struct master_service_connection *conn)
 {
-	if (master_login == NULL) {
-		/* running standalone, we shouldn't even get here */
-	} else {
-		master_service_client_connection_accept(conn);
-		master_login_add(master_login, conn->fd);
-	}
+	/* when running standalone, we shouldn't even get here */
+	i_assert(master_login != NULL);
+
+	master_service_client_connection_accept(conn);
+	master_login_add(master_login, conn->fd);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])