--- old/src/hotspot/share/runtime/handles.cpp	2018-02-16 14:07:53.351180466 +0100
+++ new/src/hotspot/share/runtime/handles.cpp	2018-02-16 14:07:53.197173841 +0100
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 1997, 2017, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 1997, 2018, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -97,10 +97,6 @@
   // during GC phase 3, a handle may be a forward pointer that
   // is not yet valid, so loosen the assertion
   while (bottom < top) {
-    // This test can be moved up but for now check every oop.
-
-    assert(oopDesc::is_oop(*bottom, true), "handle should point to oop");
-
     f->do_oop(bottom++);
   }
   return handles_visited;