diff --git a/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh b/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh
index b94178e5d6b973b79e73801d39b05fa79e8cf66b..eca04dc67eaa7371989c06b1521dd736efdf5bf4 100644
--- a/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh
+++ b/dune/tectonic/ellipticenergy.hh
@@ -65,9 +65,8 @@ template <int dim> class EllipticEnergy {
       ret = mg;
       ret *= -1;
     } else {
+      // We know that no descent can be expected in the tangential direction
       ret = SmallVector(0);
-      // FIXME: This can happen due to numerical instability
-      // assert(false);
     }
   }