diff --git a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm32.rs b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm32.rs
index f689ddcae0f..a9d64dad849 100644
--- a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm32.rs
+++ b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm32.rs
@@ -2503,7 +2503,7 @@ fn legalize_ext_instr(op: &mut impl SrcsAsSlice, _b: &mut LegalizeBuilder) {
                 panic!("ALU srcs must be legalized explicitly");
             }
             SrcType::Pred => {
-                panic!("Predicates must be legalized explicitly");
+                assert!(src_is_reg(src, RegFile::Pred));
             }
             SrcType::Carry => {
                 panic!("Carry values must be legalized explicitly");
diff --git a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm50.rs b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm50.rs
index c31c41c2f2a..c17a0ecd9d3 100644
--- a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm50.rs
+++ b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak/sm50.rs
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ fn legalize_ext_instr(op: &mut impl SrcsAsSlice, _b: &mut LegalizeBuilder) {
                 panic!("ALU srcs must be legalized explicitly");
             }
             SrcType::Pred => {
-                panic!("Predicates must be legalized explicitly");
+                assert!(src_is_reg(src, RegFile::Pred));
             }
             SrcType::Carry => {
                 panic!("Carry values must be legalized explicitly");