diff --git a/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/ClusterIndexRefreshIntervalIT.java b/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/ClusterIndexRefreshIntervalIT.java
index 69f8b1dabafb0..f936b53f52a7b 100644
--- a/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/ClusterIndexRefreshIntervalIT.java
+++ b/server/src/internalClusterTest/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/ClusterIndexRefreshIntervalIT.java
@@ -242,7 +242,6 @@ public void testRefreshIntervalDisabled() throws ExecutionException, Interrupted
             .put(IndexSettings.INDEX_REFRESH_INTERVAL_SETTING.getKey(), IndexSettings.MINIMUM_REFRESH_INTERVAL)
             .build();
         createIndex(INDEX_NAME, settings);
-        ensureYellowAndNoInitializingShards(INDEX_NAME);
         ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
         GetIndexResponse getIndexResponse = client(clusterManagerName).admin().indices().getIndex(new GetIndexRequest()).get();
         IndicesService indicesService = internalCluster().getInstance(IndicesService.class, randomFrom(dataNodes));
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/MetadataCreateIndexService.java b/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/MetadataCreateIndexService.java
index a983c627b8a75..2141ab2bbb299 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/MetadataCreateIndexService.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/metadata/MetadataCreateIndexService.java
@@ -1503,8 +1503,7 @@ public static void validateRefreshIntervalSettings(Settings requestSettings, Clu
         }
         TimeValue requestRefreshInterval = IndexSettings.INDEX_REFRESH_INTERVAL_SETTING.get(requestSettings);
         // If the refresh interval supplied is -1, we allow the index to be created because -1 means no periodic refresh.
-        if (requestRefreshInterval.millis() < 0) {
-            assert requestRefreshInterval.millis() == -1;
+        if (requestRefreshInterval.millis() == -1) {
             return;
         }
         TimeValue clusterMinimumRefreshInterval = clusterSettings.get(IndicesService.CLUSTER_MINIMUM_INDEX_REFRESH_INTERVAL_SETTING);