diff --git a/hw/ide/pci.c b/hw/ide/pci.c
index 987caffa3a..35168cb469 100644
--- a/hw/ide/pci.c
+++ b/hw/ide/pci.c
@@ -267,9 +267,7 @@ static void bmdma_irq(void *opaque, int n, int level)
         return;
     }
 
-    if (bm) {
-        bm->status |= BM_STATUS_INT;
-    }
+    bm->status |= BM_STATUS_INT;
 
     /* trigger the real irq */
     qemu_set_irq(bm->irq, level);