diff --git a/fs/ubifs/super.c b/fs/ubifs/super.c
index 87d08f738632..bf000c8aeffb 100644
--- a/fs/ubifs/super.c
+++ b/fs/ubifs/super.c
@@ -1912,7 +1912,9 @@ static int ubifs_remount_fs(struct super_block *sb, int *flags, char *data)
 		mutex_unlock(&c->bu_mutex);
 	}
 
-	ubifs_assert(c, c->lst.taken_empty_lebs > 0);
+	if (!c->need_recovery)
+		ubifs_assert(c, c->lst.taken_empty_lebs > 0);
+
 	return 0;
 }