diff --git a/runtime/js_eval.cpp b/runtime/js_eval.cpp
index 9db28f3fa4c97ab2c4cfc6d9932a75de9a93d098..0dcfcb8263045224e3f616c2e2b55fd1ef316523 100644
--- a/runtime/js_eval.cpp
+++ b/runtime/js_eval.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ JSTaggedValue EvalUtils::GetEvaluatedScript(JSThread *thread, const JSHandle<Ecm
     ObjectFactory *objectFactory = thread->GetEcmaVM()->GetFactory();
 
     if (!program) {
-        const auto &err = compiler.GetError();
-        JSHandle<JSObject> error = objectFactory->GetJSError(ErrorType::SYNTAX_ERROR, err.Message().c_str());
+        const auto *err = compiler.GetError();
+        ASSERT(err != nullptr);
+        JSHandle<JSObject> error = objectFactory->GetJSError(ErrorType::SYNTAX_ERROR, err->Message().c_str());
         THROW_NEW_ERROR_AND_RETURN_VALUE(thread, error.GetTaggedValue(), JSTaggedValue::Exception());
     }