diff --git a/source/client/src/clientMain.c b/source/client/src/clientMain.c
index b03576ff01b06f946f5f99a8fcc7eba6bb34aeee..a08eab3a29a36bc3944939a0e6d88e47bf16c6a3 100644
--- a/source/client/src/clientMain.c
+++ b/source/client/src/clientMain.c
@@ -286,7 +286,8 @@ TAOS_ROW taos_fetch_row(TAOS_RES *res) {
     return NULL;
   } else {
     // assert to avoid un-initialization error
-    ASSERT(0);
+    tscError("invalid result passed to taos_fetch_row");
+    return NULL;
   }
   return NULL;
 }