diff --git a/paddle/fluid/imperative/layer.cc b/paddle/fluid/imperative/layer.cc
index ef6d8f4016a057fd9256499067f72dd9d11c452f..fcddcc4ed49b920fa0cc1d3d77920b5d8401dde6 100644
--- a/paddle/fluid/imperative/layer.cc
+++ b/paddle/fluid/imperative/layer.cc
@@ -153,9 +153,6 @@ void VarBase::ApplyGrad(framework::Scope* scope, Variable* grad) {
 
 std::vector<Variable*> OpBase::ApplyGrad(framework::Scope* scope) {
   VLOG(3) << "op grad " << grad_op_desc_->Type();
-  if (!grad_to_var_) {
-    return {};
-  }
 
   for (const std::string& grad_invar : grad_op_desc_->InputArgumentNames()) {
     if (grad_to_var_->find(grad_invar) == grad_to_var_->end()) {