diff --git a/flang/include/flang/Lower/Bridge.h b/flang/include/flang/Lower/Bridge.h
--- a/flang/include/flang/Lower/Bridge.h
+++ b/flang/include/flang/Lower/Bridge.h
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@
   //===--------------------------------------------------------------------===//
 
   mlir::MLIRContext &getMLIRContext() { return context; }
-  mlir::ModuleOp &getModule() {
-    assert(module && "This bridge is missing an MLIR module");
-    return *module.get();
-  }
+
+  /// Get the ModuleOp. It can never be null, which is asserted in the ctor.
+  mlir::ModuleOp &getModule() { return *module.get(); }
+
   const Fortran::common::IntrinsicTypeDefaultKinds &getDefaultKinds() const {
     return defaultKinds;
   }
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@
   /// Create a folding context. Careful: this is very expensive.
   Fortran::evaluate::FoldingContext createFoldingContext() const;
 
-  bool validModule() { return (module != nullptr); }
-
   //===--------------------------------------------------------------------===//
   // Perform the creation of an mlir::ModuleOp
   //===--------------------------------------------------------------------===//
diff --git a/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp b/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp
--- a/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp
@@ -2454,6 +2454,6 @@
   module = std::make_unique<mlir::ModuleOp>(
       mlir::ModuleOp::create(mlir::UnknownLoc::get(&context)));
   assert(module.get() && "module was not created");
-  fir::setTargetTriple(*module.get(), triple);
-  fir::setKindMapping(*module.get(), kindMap);
+  fir::setTargetTriple(getModule(), triple);
+  fir::setKindMapping(getModule(), kindMap);
 }