diff --git a/arraycontext/container/traversal.py b/arraycontext/container/traversal.py
index 8abd73d9..301bab34 100644
--- a/arraycontext/container/traversal.py
+++ b/arraycontext/container/traversal.py
@@ -153,8 +153,6 @@ def rec(*args_: Any) -> Any:
             iterable_template = serialize_container(template_ary)
         except NotAnArrayContainerError:
             return f(*args_)
-        else:
-            pass
 
         assert all(
                 type(args_[i]) is type(template_ary) for i in container_indices[1:]