diff --git a/module/zfs/dmu_send.c b/module/zfs/dmu_send.c
index 8c96a862762f..ccb7eb20756d 100644
--- a/module/zfs/dmu_send.c
+++ b/module/zfs/dmu_send.c
@@ -1586,8 +1586,9 @@ send_merge_thread(void *arg)
 		}
 		range_free(front_ranges[i]);
 	}
-	ASSERT3P(range, !=, NULL);
-	ASSERT3S(range->eos_marker, ==, B_TRUE);
+	if (range == NULL)
+		range = kmem_zalloc(sizeof (*range), KM_SLEEP);
+	range->eos_marker = B_TRUE;
 	bqueue_enqueue_flush(&smt_arg->q, range, 1);
 	spl_fstrans_unmark(cookie);
 	thread_exit();