diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 3faed0de3..40cfa264a 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ ver 0.21.5 (not yet released)
 * protocol
   - fix deadlock in "albumart" command
   - fix "tagtypes disable" command
+* database
+  - simple: fix assertion failure
 * input
   - buffer: fix crash bug when playing remote WAV file
 * tags
diff --git a/src/db/plugins/simple/SimpleDatabasePlugin.cxx b/src/db/plugins/simple/SimpleDatabasePlugin.cxx
index 112cb9fdd..877126726 100644
--- a/src/db/plugins/simple/SimpleDatabasePlugin.cxx
+++ b/src/db/plugins/simple/SimpleDatabasePlugin.cxx
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ void
 SimpleDatabase::ReturnSong(gcc_unused const LightSong *song) const noexcept
 {
 	assert(song != nullptr);
-	assert(song == &light_song.Get() || song == prefixed_light_song);
+	assert(song == prefixed_light_song || song == &light_song.Get());
 
 	if (prefixed_light_song != nullptr) {
 		delete prefixed_light_song;