diff --git a/src/cats/overlays/overlay_habitat_type_cc.c b/src/cats/overlays/overlay_habitat_type_cc.c
index a349ef002bad33555acbf02a026d516ae165d72b..e98c258f98d2059292ecac0f7667e78c9d4697c2 100644
--- a/src/cats/overlays/overlay_habitat_type_cc.c
+++ b/src/cats/overlays/overlay_habitat_type_cc.c
@@ -107,8 +107,9 @@ double get_habitat_cc_multiplier(const struct habitat_layer_cc_aux *aux, int32_t
                             aux->max_code);
                 exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
-
-        return aux->habitat_multipliers[habitat_type];
+        double result = aux->habitat_multipliers[habitat_type];
+        assert(result >= 0.0);
+        return result;
 }