diff --git a/go/vt/throttler/replication_lag_cache.go b/go/vt/throttler/replication_lag_cache.go
index ab26c0bc6b8..d47b82474ac 100644
--- a/go/vt/throttler/replication_lag_cache.go
+++ b/go/vt/throttler/replication_lag_cache.go
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ func (c *replicationLagCache) maxLag() (maxLag uint32) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		entry, ok := c.entries[key]
-		if !ok {
+		entry := c.entries[key]
+		if entry == nil {
 			continue
 		}