diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/sock.c b/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/sock.c
index ae8d0f40b5..6e3a7344b7 100644
--- a/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/sock.c
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/sock.c
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ ssize_t nanocoap_sock_request_cb(nanocoap_sock_t *sock, coap_pkt_t *pkt,
         case STATE_RESPONSE_OK:
             DEBUG("nanocoap: waiting for response (timeout: %"PRIu32" µs)\n",
                   _deadline_left_us(deadline));
+            const void *old_ctx = ctx;
             tmp = sock_udp_recv_buf(sock, &payload, &ctx, _deadline_left_us(deadline), NULL);
             /* sock_udp_recv_buf() is supposed to return multiple packet fragments
              * when called multiple times with the same context.
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ ssize_t nanocoap_sock_request_cb(nanocoap_sock_t *sock, coap_pkt_t *pkt,
              * releases the packet.
              * This assertion will trigger should the behavior change in the future.
              */
-            if (state != STATE_REQUEST_SEND) {
+            if (old_ctx) {
                 assert(tmp == 0 && ctx == NULL);
             }
             if (tmp == 0) {