diff --git a/independent-projects/bootstrap/runner/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/runner/JarResource.java b/independent-projects/bootstrap/runner/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/runner/JarResource.java
index 60f337e2f3755..84ae3b69246a2 100644
--- a/independent-projects/bootstrap/runner/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/runner/JarResource.java
+++ b/independent-projects/bootstrap/runner/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/runner/JarResource.java
@@ -154,8 +154,9 @@ public void close() {
             // The jarfile has been already used and it's going to be removed from the cache,
             // so the future must be already completed
             var ref = futureRef.getNow(null);
-            assert (ref != null);
-            ref.close(this);
+            if (ref != null) {
+                ref.close(this);
+            }
         }
     }