diff --git a/fs/btrfs/volumes.c b/fs/btrfs/volumes.c
index be30d54bb95c..23c91fc3bb5c 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/volumes.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/volumes.c
@@ -3718,7 +3718,11 @@ static int btrfs_may_alloc_data_chunk(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 	u64 chunk_type;
 
 	cache = btrfs_lookup_block_group(fs_info, chunk_offset);
-	ASSERT(cache);
+	if (unlikely(!cache)) {
+		btrfs_err(fs_info, "balance: chunk at bytenr %llu has no corresponding block group",
+			  chunk_offset);
+		return -EUCLEAN;
+	}
 	chunk_type = cache->flags;
 	btrfs_put_block_group(cache);