diff --git a/types/vote.go b/types/vote.go
index 8c72637c9..1ca9669e1 100644
--- a/types/vote.go
+++ b/types/vote.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func (vote *Vote) Verify(chainID string, pubKey crypto.PubKey) error {
 		return ErrVoteInvalidSignature
 	}
 	extSignBytes := VoteExtensionSignBytes(chainID, v)
-	if vote.Extension != nil && !pubKey.VerifySignature(extSignBytes, vote.ExtensionSignature) {
+	if !pubKey.VerifySignature(extSignBytes, vote.ExtensionSignature) {
 		return ErrVoteInvalidSignature
 	}
 	return nil