diff --git a/src/file_tree.c b/src/file_tree.c
index 6bf36b3..1abfb7a 100644
--- a/src/file_tree.c
+++ b/src/file_tree.c
@@ -513,6 +513,9 @@ int file_tree_read(FileTree *ft, string path,
     uint64_t off, uint64_t len, uint64_t *gen, uint64_t *chunk_size,
     SHA256 *hashes, int max_hashes, uint64_t *actual_bytes)
 {
+    // Initialize gen to NO_GENERATION so error paths have a well-defined value
+    *gen = NO_GENERATION;
+
     int num_comps;
     string comps[MAX_COMPS];
 
diff --git a/src/metadata_server.c b/src/metadata_server.c
index 8e2d6b9..1354c78 100644
--- a/src/metadata_server.c
+++ b/src/metadata_server.c
@@ -432,7 +432,6 @@ process_client_read(MetadataServer *state, int conn_idx, ByteView msg)
     uint64_t actual_bytes;
     SHA256 hashes[MAX_READ_HASHES];
     int ret = file_tree_read(&state->file_tree, path, offset, length, &gen, &chunk_size, hashes, MAX_READ_HASHES, &actual_bytes);
-    assert(gen != NO_GENERATION);
 
     if (ret < 0) {