--- old/src/share/vm/runtime/simpleThresholdPolicy.cpp	2013-09-25 21:48:02.071646261 +0200
+++ new/src/share/vm/runtime/simpleThresholdPolicy.cpp	2013-09-25 21:48:02.015646263 +0200
@@ -217,7 +217,8 @@
 
 // Check if the method can be compiled, change level if necessary
 void SimpleThresholdPolicy::compile(methodHandle mh, int bci, CompLevel level, JavaThread* thread) {
-  assert(level <= TieredStopAtLevel, "Invalid compilation level");
+  assert(level <= TieredStopAtLevel,  "Invalid compilation level - level too large");
+  assert(level >= TieredStartAtLevel, "Invalid compilation level - level too small");
   if (level == CompLevel_none) {
     return;
   }
@@ -330,7 +331,8 @@
       break;
     }
   }
-  return MIN2(next_level, (CompLevel)TieredStopAtLevel);
+  next_level = MIN2(next_level, (CompLevel)TieredStopAtLevel);
+  return MAX2(next_level, (CompLevel)TieredStartAtLevel);
 }
 
 // Determine if a method should be compiled with a normal entry point at a different level.