diff --git a/runtime/src/append_vec.rs b/runtime/src/append_vec.rs
index 3792ca103d7a76..03d417c913cd3f 100644
--- a/runtime/src/append_vec.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/append_vec.rs
@@ -899,16 +899,16 @@ pub mod tests {
         let accounts = av.accounts(0);
         let account = accounts.first().unwrap();
 
+        // upper 7-bits are not 0, so sanitization should fail
+        assert!(!account.sanitize_executable());
+
         // we can observe crafted value by ref
         {
             let executable_bool: &bool = &account.account_meta.executable;
-            // Depending on use, *executable_bool can be truthy or falsy due to direct memory manipulation
-            // assert_eq! thinks *executable_bool is equal to false but the if condition thinks it's not, contradictorily.
+            // Depending on use, *executable_bool can be truthy or falsy due to direct memory manipulation.
+            // Behavior is dependent on compiler.
+            // assert! thinks !*executable_bool is true, for all compilers
             assert!(!*executable_bool);
-            const FALSE: bool = false; // keep clippy happy
-            if *executable_bool == FALSE {
-                panic!("This didn't occur if this test passed.");
-            }
             assert_eq!(*account.ref_executable_byte(), crafted_executable);
         }