diff --git a/sandbox/btree/btree.c b/sandbox/btree/btree.c
index 3526a77..c36c211 100644
--- a/sandbox/btree/btree.c
+++ b/sandbox/btree/btree.c
@@ -243,10 +243,6 @@ static void delete_fixup(btree_t *tree, btree_node_t *w)
 
 		z = z->b_parent;
 		nr_rotations++;
-
-		if (nr_rotations > 10) {
-			assert(0 && "too many rotations");
-		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -338,7 +334,9 @@ static btree_node_t *replace_node_with_one_subtree(btree_t *tree, btree_node_t *
 	}
 
 	btree_node_t *w = z;
-	if (IS_LEFT_CHILD(p, node)) {
+	if (!p) {
+		tree->b_root = z;
+	} else if (IS_LEFT_CHILD(p, node)) {
 		p->b_left = z;
 	} else if (IS_RIGHT_CHILD(p, node)) {
 		p->b_right = z;