diff --git a/gsk/gpu/gskgpucolorstatesprivate.h b/gsk/gpu/gskgpucolorstatesprivate.h
index c761bfe84e..49aaa6251b 100644
--- a/gsk/gpu/gskgpucolorstatesprivate.h
+++ b/gsk/gpu/gskgpucolorstatesprivate.h
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ gsk_gpu_color_states_create (GdkColorState *output_color_state,
                              GdkColorState *alt_color_state,
                              gboolean       alt_is_premultiplied)
 {
-  g_assert (GDK_IS_DEFAULT_COLOR_STATE (output_color_state));
-  g_assert (GDK_IS_DEFAULT_COLOR_STATE (alt_color_state));
-
   if (gdk_color_state_equal (output_color_state, alt_color_state))
     return gsk_gpu_color_states_create_equal (output_is_premultiplied, alt_is_premultiplied);
 
+  g_assert (GDK_IS_DEFAULT_COLOR_STATE (output_color_state));
+  g_assert (GDK_IS_DEFAULT_COLOR_STATE (alt_color_state));
+
   return (GDK_DEFAULT_COLOR_STATE_ID (output_color_state) << COLOR_SPACE_OUTPUT_SHIFT) |
          (output_is_premultiplied ? COLOR_SPACE_OUTPUT_PREMULTIPLIED : 0) |
          (GDK_DEFAULT_COLOR_STATE_ID (alt_color_state) << COLOR_SPACE_ALT_SHIFT) |