diff --git a/frontend/include/chpl/resolution/can-pass.h b/frontend/include/chpl/resolution/can-pass.h
index 80a71f5718fe..ac5790a7fa48 100644
--- a/frontend/include/chpl/resolution/can-pass.h
+++ b/frontend/include/chpl/resolution/can-pass.h
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class CanPassResult {
   bool passes() { return !failReason_; }
 
   PassingFailureReason reason() {
-    CHPL_ASSERT(failReason_.hasValue());
+    CHPL_ASSERT((bool) failReason_);
     return *failReason_;
   }