diff --git a/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c b/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
index ceb950c489..a195b8c0a1 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/private/helpers.c
@@ -522,6 +522,7 @@ Object vim_to_object(typval_T *obj)
   EncodedData edata = { .stack = KV_INITIAL_VALUE };
   const int evo_ret = encode_vim_to_object(&edata, obj,
                                            "vim_to_object argument");
+  (void)evo_ret;
   assert(evo_ret == OK);
   Object ret = kv_A(edata.stack, 0);
   assert(kv_size(edata.stack) == 1);