diff --git a/src/engine/Transaction.c b/src/engine/Transaction.c
index 1ca3a25e39..4ab7a72b0b 100644
--- a/src/engine/Transaction.c
+++ b/src/engine/Transaction.c
@@ -530,10 +530,10 @@ xaccSplitRebalance (Split *split)
    }								\
 }
 
-
 void
 xaccTransBeginEdit (Transaction *trans)
 {
+   assert (trans);
    trans->open = 1;
    xaccOpenLog ();
 }