diff --git a/libavcodec/smacker.c b/libavcodec/smacker.c
index b5712a6ea5..3f0e6c6748 100644
--- a/libavcodec/smacker.c
+++ b/libavcodec/smacker.c
@@ -279,11 +279,6 @@ static int smacker_decode_header_tree(SmackVContext *smk, GetBitContext *gb, int
     if(ctx.last[0] == -1) ctx.last[0] = huff.current++;
     if(ctx.last[1] == -1) ctx.last[1] = huff.current++;
     if(ctx.last[2] == -1) ctx.last[2] = huff.current++;
-    if(huff.current > huff.length){
-        ctx.last[0] = ctx.last[1] = ctx.last[2] = 1;
-        av_log(smk->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "bigtree damaged\n");
-        return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
-    }
     if (ctx.last[0] >= huff.length ||
         ctx.last[1] >= huff.length ||
         ctx.last[2] >= huff.length) {