diff --git a/src/pl-termwalk.c b/src/pl-termwalk.c
index 88c7a65df2..8a50f1d9d1 100644
--- a/src/pl-termwalk.c
+++ b/src/pl-termwalk.c
@@ -80,19 +80,15 @@ static inline Word
 nextTermAgenda(DECL_LD term_agenda *a)
 { Word p;
 
-  if ( a->work.size > 0 )
-  { ok:
-    a->work.size--;
-    p = a->work.location++;
-    deRef(p);
-
-    return p;
-  }
+  if ( unlikely(a->work.size == 0) &&
+       !popSegStack(&a->stack, &a->work, aNode) )
+    return NULL;
 
-  if ( popSegStack(&a->stack, &a->work, aNode) )
-    goto ok;
+  a->work.size--;
+  p = a->work.location++;
+  deRef(p);
 
-  return NULL;
+  return p;
 }