diff --git a/compiler/closureiters.nim b/compiler/closureiters.nim
index e4137abcc0..83d55b4444 100644
--- a/compiler/closureiters.nim
+++ b/compiler/closureiters.nim
@@ -852,7 +852,9 @@ proc transformReturnsInTry(ctx: var Ctx, n: PNode): PNode =
   case n.kind
   of nkReturnStmt:
     # We're somewhere in try, transform to finally unrolling
-    assert(ctx.nearestFinally != 0)
+    if ctx.nearestFinally == 0:
+      # return is within the finally
+      return
 
     result = newNodeI(nkStmtList, n.info)
 
diff --git a/tests/closure/tclosure.nim b/tests/closure/tclosure.nim
index 8ae6c44bbe..829f16e013 100644
--- a/tests/closure/tclosure.nim
+++ b/tests/closure/tclosure.nim
@@ -491,3 +491,14 @@ block tnoclosure:
       row = zip(row & @[0], @[0] & row).mapIt(it[0] + it[1])
     echo row
   pascal(10)
+
+block: # bug #22297
+  iterator f: int {.closure.} =
+    try:
+      yield 12
+    finally:
+      return 14
+
+  let s = f
+  doAssert s() == 12
+  doAssert s() == 14