diff --git a/go/vt/vtgate/engine/fk_verify.go b/go/vt/vtgate/engine/fk_verify.go
index 82a1a01309b..3668792d840 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtgate/engine/fk_verify.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtgate/engine/fk_verify.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func (f *FkVerify) TryExecute(ctx context.Context, vcursor VCursor, bindVars map
 	}
 
 	result, err := vcursor.ExecutePrimitive(ctx, f.Exec, bindVars, wantfields)
-	if err == nil {
+	if result != nil {
 		result.MergeStats(stats)
 	}
 	return result, err
diff --git a/go/vt/vtgate/engine/insert_select.go b/go/vt/vtgate/engine/insert_select.go
index f843116f4cb..d6477118b63 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtgate/engine/insert_select.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtgate/engine/insert_select.go
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func (ins *InsertSelect) execInsertSharded(ctx context.Context, vcursor VCursor,
 	}
 
 	result, err := ins.insertIntoShardedTable(ctx, vcursor, bindVars, selectResult)
-	if err == nil {
+	if result != nil {
 		result.MergeStats(selectResult.stats)
 	}