IGNITE-19996 Fix ItNodeTest#testNewPeersConfigurationAppliedListener flaky
diff --git a/modules/network/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/network/netty/ConnectionManager.java b/modules/network/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/network/netty/ConnectionManager.java
index 83d58e5..2a77bfe 100644
--- a/modules/network/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/network/netty/ConnectionManager.java
+++ b/modules/network/src/main/java/org/apache/ignite/internal/network/netty/ConnectionManager.java
@@ -268,11 +268,9 @@
         ConnectorKey<String> key = new ConnectorKey<>(channel.consistentId(), getChannel(channel.channelId()));
         NettySender oldChannel = channels.put(key, channel);
 
-        if (oldChannel != null) {
-            // Old channel can still be in the map, but it must be closed already by the tie breaker in the
-            // handshake manager.
-            assert !oldChannel.isOpen() : "Incorrect channel creation flow";
-        }
+        // Old channel can still be in the map, but it must be closed already by the tie breaker in the
+        // handshake manager.
+        assert oldChannel == null || !oldChannel.isOpen() : "Incorrect channel creation flow";
     }
 
     /**