diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_program_state.hpp b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_program_state.hpp
index 2cabc6786606c..9badd47eb693e 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_program_state.hpp
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_program_state.hpp
@@ -128,9 +128,9 @@ zink_get_gfx_pipeline(struct zink_context *ctx,
    /* extra safety asserts for optimal path to catch refactoring bugs */
    if (prog->optimal_keys) {
       ASSERTED const union zink_shader_key_optimal *opt = (union zink_shader_key_optimal*)&prog->last_variant_hash;
-      ASSERTED uint32_t sanitized = zink_sanitize_optimal_key(ctx->gfx_stages, ctx->gfx_pipeline_state.shader_keys_optimal.key.val);
-      assert(opt->val == sanitized);
-      assert(state->optimal_key == sanitized);
+      ASSERTED union zink_shader_key_optimal sanitized{.val = zink_sanitize_optimal_key(ctx->gfx_stages, ctx->gfx_pipeline_state.shader_keys_optimal.key.val)};
+      assert(opt->val == sanitized.val);
+      assert(state->optimal_key == sanitized.val);
    }
    /* recalc vertex state if missing optimal extensions */
    if (DYNAMIC_STATE != ZINK_DYNAMIC_VERTEX_INPUT2 && DYNAMIC_STATE != ZINK_DYNAMIC_VERTEX_INPUT && ctx->vertex_state_changed) {