diff --git a/src/SDL_renderer_textengine.c b/src/SDL_renderer_textengine.c
index a7140461..8090e43a 100644
--- a/src/SDL_renderer_textengine.c
+++ b/src/SDL_renderer_textengine.c
@@ -537,8 +537,6 @@ static AtlasDrawSequence *CreateDrawSequence(TTF_DrawOperation *ops, int num_ops
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    SDL_assert(num_ops > 0);
-
     SDL_Texture *texture = GetOperationTexture(&ops[0]);
     TTF_DrawOperation *end = NULL;
     for (int i = 1; i < num_ops; ++i) {
diff --git a/src/SDL_ttf.c b/src/SDL_ttf.c
index e0ce10cd..37a7de89 100644
--- a/src/SDL_ttf.c
+++ b/src/SDL_ttf.c
@@ -3949,7 +3949,7 @@ static void DestroyEngineText(TTF_Text *text)
 static bool CreateEngineText(TTF_Text *text)
 {
     TTF_TextEngine *engine = text->internal->engine;
-    if (engine && engine->CreateText && text->internal->font && text->text) {
+    if (engine && engine->CreateText && text->internal->num_ops > 0) {
         if (!engine->CreateText(engine->userdata, text)) {
             return false;
         }