diff a/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp
--- a/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp
@@ -1755,14 +1755,13 @@
     guarantee(unload_nmethod_caches(unloading_occurred),
               "Should not need transition stubs");
   }
 }
 
-void nmethod::oops_do(OopClosure* f, bool allow_zombie) {
+void nmethod::oops_do(OopClosure* f, bool allow_dead) {
   // make sure the oops ready to receive visitors
-  assert(allow_zombie || !is_zombie(), "should not call follow on zombie nmethod");
-  assert(!is_unloaded(), "should not call follow on unloaded nmethod");
+  assert(allow_dead || is_alive(), "should not call follow on dead nmethod");
 
   // Prevent extra code cache walk for platforms that don't have immediate oops.
   if (relocInfo::mustIterateImmediateOopsInCode()) {
     RelocIterator iter(this, oops_reloc_begin());
 
diff a/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.hpp
--- a/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.hpp
@@ -473,11 +473,11 @@
   }
 #endif
 
  public:
   void oops_do(OopClosure* f) { oops_do(f, false); }
-  void oops_do(OopClosure* f, bool allow_zombie);
+  void oops_do(OopClosure* f, bool allow_dead);
 
   bool test_set_oops_do_mark();
   static void oops_do_marking_prologue();
   static void oops_do_marking_epilogue();
   static bool oops_do_marking_is_active() { return _oops_do_mark_nmethods != NULL; }
diff a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/gcBehaviours.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/gcBehaviours.cpp
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/gcBehaviours.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/gcBehaviours.cpp
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@
 };
 
 bool ClosureIsUnloadingBehaviour::is_unloading(CompiledMethod* cm) const {
   if (cm->is_nmethod()) {
     IsCompiledMethodUnloadingOopClosure cl(_cl);
-    static_cast<nmethod*>(cm)->oops_do(&cl);
+    static_cast<nmethod*>(cm)->oops_do(&cl, true /* allow_dead */);
     return cl.is_unloading();
   } else {
     return false;
   }
 }