Index: hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/StoreScanner.java =================================================================== --- hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/StoreScanner.java (revision 1373058) +++ hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/StoreScanner.java (working copy) @@ -366,11 +366,8 @@ LOOP: while((kv = this.heap.peek()) != null) { // Check that the heap gives us KVs in an increasing order. - if (prevKV != null && comparator != null - && comparator.compare(prevKV, kv) > 0) { - throw new IOException("Key " + prevKV + " followed by a " + - "smaller key " + kv + " in cf " + store); - } + assert prevKV == null || comparator == null || comparator.compare(prevKV, kv) <= 0 : + "Key " + prevKV + " followed by a " + "smaller key " + kv + " in cf " + store; prevKV = kv; ScanQueryMatcher.MatchCode qcode = matcher.match(kv); switch(qcode) {