diff --git a/intern/cycles/kernel/bvh/obvh_local.h b/intern/cycles/kernel/bvh/obvh_local.h
index 50bcfa79b6c..92143193a6a 100644
--- a/intern/cycles/kernel/bvh/obvh_local.h
+++ b/intern/cycles/kernel/bvh/obvh_local.h
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ ccl_device bool BVH_FUNCTION_FULL_NAME(OBVH)(KernelGlobals *kg,
 	int object = OBJECT_NONE;
 	float isect_t = ray->t;
 
-	local_isect->num_hits = 0;
+	if(local_isect != NULL) {
+		local_isect->num_hits = 0;
+	}
+	kernel_assert((local_isect == NULL) == (max_hits == 0));
 
 	const int object_flag = kernel_tex_fetch(__object_flag, local_object);
 	if(!(object_flag & SD_OBJECT_TRANSFORM_APPLIED)) {