diff --git a/src/client/content_cao.h b/src/client/content_cao.h
index 699148c52..974ff9a1e 100644
--- a/src/client/content_cao.h
+++ b/src/client/content_cao.h
@@ -188,10 +188,11 @@ public:
 		return m_matrixnode->getRelativeTransformationMatrix();
 	}
 
-	inline const core::matrix4 &getAbsolutePosRotMatrix() const
+	inline const core::matrix4 *getAbsolutePosRotMatrix() const
 	{
-		assert(m_matrixnode);
-		return m_matrixnode->getAbsoluteTransformation();
+		if (!m_matrixnode)
+			return nullptr;
+		return &m_matrixnode->getAbsoluteTransformation();
 	}
 
 	inline f32 getStepHeight() const
diff --git a/src/client/particles.cpp b/src/client/particles.cpp
index c78a3e71a..7acd996dc 100644
--- a/src/client/particles.cpp
+++ b/src/client/particles.cpp
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ void ParticleSpawner::step(float dtime, ClientEnvironment *env)
 	const core::matrix4 *attached_absolute_pos_rot_matrix = nullptr;
 	if (m_attached_id) {
 		if (GenericCAO *attached = dynamic_cast<GenericCAO *>(env->getActiveObject(m_attached_id))) {
-			attached_absolute_pos_rot_matrix = &attached->getAbsolutePosRotMatrix();
+			attached_absolute_pos_rot_matrix = attached->getAbsolutePosRotMatrix();
 		} else {
 			unloaded = true;
 		}