diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/include/platform_thread.h b/base-hw/src/core/include/platform_thread.h
index e8da286e73..485fef4bf3 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/include/platform_thread.h
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/include/platform_thread.h
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ namespace Genode {
 
 			void pager(Pager_object * const pager);
 
-			Pager_object * pager() const;
+			Pager_object * pager();
 
 			unsigned pd_id() const { return _pd_id; }
 
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/platform_thread.cc b/base-hw/src/core/platform_thread.cc
index b76d041e4f..ec813fe01e 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/platform_thread.cc
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/platform_thread.cc
@@ -160,9 +160,6 @@ void Platform_thread::pager(Pager_object * const pager)
 }
 
 
-Genode::Pager_object * Platform_thread::pager() const
-{
-	assert(_rm_client)
-	return static_cast<Pager_object *>(_rm_client);
-}
+Genode::Pager_object * Platform_thread::pager() {
+	return _rm_client ? static_cast<Pager_object *>(_rm_client) : 0; }