Index: src/btree.c
==================================================================
--- src/btree.c
+++ src/btree.c
@@ -6877,14 +6877,10 @@
       assert( iSpace1 <= (int)pBt->pageSize );
       memcpy(pTemp, apDiv[i], sz);
       apCell[nCell] = pTemp+leafCorrection;
       assert( leafCorrection==0 || leafCorrection==4 );
       szCell[nCell] = szCell[nCell] - leafCorrection;
-      if( szCell[nCell]<3 ){
-        rc = SQLITE_CORRUPT_BKPT;
-        goto balance_cleanup;
-      }
       if( !pOld->leaf ){
         assert( leafCorrection==0 );
         assert( pOld->hdrOffset==0 );
         /* The right pointer of the child page pOld becomes the left
         ** pointer of the divider cell */
@@ -6892,12 +6888,12 @@
       }else{
         assert( leafCorrection==4 );
         if( szCell[nCell]<4 ){
           /* Do not allow any cells smaller than 4 bytes. If a smaller cell
           ** does exist, pad it with 0x00 bytes. */
-          assert( szCell[nCell]==3 );
-          assert( apCell[nCell]==&aSpace1[iSpace1-3] );
+          assert( szCell[nCell]==3 || CORRUPT_DB );
+          assert( apCell[nCell]==&aSpace1[iSpace1-3] || CORRUPT_DB );
           aSpace1[iSpace1++] = 0x00;
           szCell[nCell] = 4;
         }
       }
       nCell++;