diff --git a/src/btstack_run_loop_base.c b/src/btstack_run_loop_base.c
index cfbea297d..f0bf3a278 100644
--- a/src/btstack_run_loop_base.c
+++ b/src/btstack_run_loop_base.c
@@ -81,14 +81,9 @@ bool btstack_run_loop_base_remove_timer(btstack_timer_source_t *ts){
 void btstack_run_loop_base_add_timer(btstack_timer_source_t *ts){
     btstack_linked_item_t *it;
     for (it = (btstack_linked_item_t *) &btstack_run_loop_base_timers; it->next ; it = it->next){
-        // don't add timer that's already in there
-        if ((btstack_timer_source_t *) it->next == ts){
-            log_error( "btstack_run_loop_timer_add error: timer to add already in list!");
-            return;
-        }
-        // exit if list timeout is after new timeout
-        uint32_t list_timeout = ((btstack_timer_source_t *) it->next)->timeout;
-        int32_t delta = btstack_time_delta(ts->timeout, list_timeout);
+        btstack_timer_source_t * next = (btstack_timer_source_t *) it->next;
+        btstack_assert(next != ts);
+        int32_t delta = btstack_time_delta(ts->timeout, next->timeout);
         if (delta < 0) break;
     }
     ts->item.next = it->next;