diff --git a/src/core/service.c b/src/core/service.c
index 9c30067e922..3fb3cae8442 100644
--- a/src/core/service.c
+++ b/src/core/service.c
@@ -2441,11 +2441,9 @@ static void service_enter_start(Service *s) {
                 return service_set_state(s, SERVICE_START);
 
         default:
-                ;
+                assert_not_reached();
         }
 
-        assert_not_reached();
-
 fail:
         service_enter_signal(s, SERVICE_STOP_SIGTERM, SERVICE_FAILURE_RESOURCES);
 }