diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix
index bbf5bd9aa16d..390227cfe95c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@
 , withPerl ? stdenv.hostPlatform == stdenv.buildPlatform
 }:
 
-assert (
-  lib.assertMsg (!withPerl -> stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform)
-  "withPerl should not be disabled unless cross compiling"
-);
-
 # Note: this package is used for bootstrapping fetchurl, and thus
 # cannot use fetchpatch! All mutable patches (generated by GitHub or
 # cgit) that are needed here should be included directly in Nixpkgs as