@@ -1274,22 +1274,18 @@ run_eval_code_obj(PyThreadState *tstate, PyCodeObject *co, PyObject *globals, Py
     // XXX Isn't this dealt with by the move to _PyRuntimeState?
     _PyRuntime.signals.unhandled_keyboard_interrupt = 0;
 
+    assert(globals);
+
     /* Set globals['__builtins__'] if it doesn't exist */
-    if (globals == NULL) {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "globals are NULL");
+    int has_builtins = PyDict_ContainsString(globals, "__builtins__");
+    if (has_builtins < 0) {
         return NULL;
     }
-    else {
-        int has_builtins = PyDict_ContainsString(globals, "__builtins__");
-        if (has_builtins < 0) {
+    if (!has_builtins) {
+        if (PyDict_SetItemString(globals, "__builtins__",
+                                    tstate->interp->builtins) < 0) {
             return NULL;
         }
-        if (!has_builtins) {
-            if (PyDict_SetItemString(globals, "__builtins__",
-                                     tstate->interp->builtins) < 0) {
-                return NULL;
-            }
-        }
     }
 
     v = PyEval_EvalCode((PyObject*)co, globals, locals);