diff --git a/tinyxml2.cpp b/tinyxml2.cpp
index 87c1a99..a645c57 100755
--- a/tinyxml2.cpp
+++ b/tinyxml2.cpp
@@ -1133,6 +1133,7 @@
 
 bool XMLText::ShallowEqual( const XMLNode* compare ) const
 {
+    TIXMLASSERT( compare );
     const XMLText* text = compare->ToText();
     return ( text && XMLUtil::StringEqual( text->Value(), Value() ) );
 }