diff --git a/src/dfa.c b/src/dfa.c
index ddd61922f..ed1af9343 100644
--- a/src/dfa.c
+++ b/src/dfa.c
@@ -518,9 +518,10 @@ size_t ntod (void)
 			yynxt_data[yynxt_curr++] = 0;
 		}
 
-		dataflush ();
-		if (gentables)
+		if (gentables) {
+			dataflush ();
 			outn ("M4_HOOK_TABLE_CONTINUE");
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* Create the first states. */
@@ -697,9 +698,10 @@ size_t ntod (void)
 					state[i] ? state[i] : -ds;
 			}
 
-			dataflush ();
-			if (gentables)
+			if (gentables) {
+				dataflush ();
 				outn ("M4_HOOK_TABLE_CONTINUE");
+			}
 		}
 
 		else if (ctrl.fullspd)
diff --git a/src/misc.c b/src/misc.c
index 5da4d493e..56d2abab6 100644
--- a/src/misc.c
+++ b/src/misc.c
@@ -178,9 +178,7 @@ void dataend (const char *endit)
 
 void dataflush (void)
 {
-	/* short circuit any output */
-	if (!gentables)
-		return;
+	assert (gentables);
 
 	if (datapos > 0)
 		outc ('\n');