diff --git a/src/vm.c b/src/vm.c
index 6133cbccac..9cb50847f2 100644
--- a/src/vm.c
+++ b/src/vm.c
@@ -2766,7 +2766,7 @@ mrb_vm_exec(mrb_state *mrb, const struct RProc *proc, const mrb_code *pc)
       int lim = a+b*2+1;
 
       hash = regs[a];
-      mrb_assert(mrb_hash_p(hash));
+      mrb_ensure_hash_type(mrb, hash);
       for (i=a+1; i<lim; i+=2) {
         mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, regs[i], regs[i+1]);
       }