--- old/src/share/vm/opto/compile.cpp	Fri Dec 12 19:19:37 2008
+++ new/src/share/vm/opto/compile.cpp	Fri Dec 12 19:19:37 2008
@@ -2192,6 +2192,7 @@
 
   case Op_DecodeN:
     assert(!n->in(1)->is_EncodeP(), "should be optimized out");
+    assert(n->in(0) == NULL, "no control");
     break;
 
   case Op_EncodeP: {