diff --git a/src/v_text.cpp b/src/v_text.cpp
index 64b95c041f..cad9bb5d2c 100644
--- a/src/v_text.cpp
+++ b/src/v_text.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ void DCanvas::DrawTextV(FFont *font, int normalcolor, int x, int y, const char *
 	{
 		va_list *more_p;
 		DWORD data;
-		void *ptrval;
 
 		switch (tag)
 		{
@@ -150,15 +149,9 @@ void DCanvas::DrawTextV(FFont *font, int normalcolor, int x, int y, const char *
 		// We don't handle these. :(
 		case DTA_DestWidth:
 		case DTA_DestHeight:
-			*(DWORD *)tags = TAG_IGNORE;
-			data = va_arg (tags, DWORD);
-			break;
-
-		// Translation is specified explicitly by the text.
 		case DTA_Translation:
-			*(DWORD *)tags = TAG_IGNORE;
-			ptrval = va_arg (tags, void*);
-			break;
+			assert("Bad parameter for DrawText" && false);
+			return;
 
 		case DTA_CleanNoMove_1:
 			boolval = va_arg (tags, INTBOOL);