diff --git a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_nir_lower_tex.c b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_nir_lower_tex.c
index a7521ceb233..8a280648694 100644
--- a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_nir_lower_tex.c
+++ b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_nir_lower_tex.c
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ lower_tex(nir_builder *b, nir_tex_instr *tex, const struct nak_compiler *nak)
       .lod_mode = lod_mode,
       .offset_mode = offset_mode,
       .has_z_cmpr = tex->is_shadow,
+      .is_sparse = tex->is_sparse,
    };
    STATIC_ASSERT(sizeof(flags) == sizeof(tex->backend_flags));
    memcpy(&tex->backend_flags, &flags, sizeof(flags));
@@ -257,6 +258,8 @@ lower_txq(nir_builder *b, nir_tex_instr *tex, const struct nak_compiler *nak)
 {
    b->cursor = nir_before_instr(&tex->instr);
 
+   assert(!tex->is_sparse);
+
    nir_def *tex_h = NULL, *lod = NULL;
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < tex->num_srcs; i++) {
       switch (tex->src[i].src_type) {
diff --git a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_private.h b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_private.h
index c1877ee55b2..f892e2bcb9b 100644
--- a/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_private.h
+++ b/src/nouveau/compiler/nak_private.h
@@ -145,7 +145,8 @@ struct nak_nir_tex_flags {
    enum nak_nir_lod_mode lod_mode:3;
    enum nak_nir_offset_mode offset_mode:2;
    bool has_z_cmpr:1;
-   uint32_t pad:26;
+   bool is_sparse:1;
+   uint32_t pad:25;
 };
 
 bool nak_nir_lower_scan_reduce(nir_shader *shader);