diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp
index d5cc677786e81..f7b9609eafd3f 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.cpp
@@ -175,6 +175,16 @@ void ShenandoahAsserts::assert_in_heap(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char *
   }
 }
 
+void ShenandoahAsserts::assert_in_heap_or_null(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char *file, int line) {
+  ShenandoahHeap* heap = ShenandoahHeap::heap();
+
+  if (obj != NULL && !heap->is_in(obj)) {
+    print_failure(_safe_unknown, obj, interior_loc, NULL, "Shenandoah assert_in_heap_or_null failed",
+                  "oop must point to a heap address",
+                  file, line);
+  }
+}
+
 void ShenandoahAsserts::assert_correct(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char* file, int line) {
   ShenandoahHeap* heap = ShenandoahHeap::heap();
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.hpp
index 42d0e60bba36c..6fd890edb63d4 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahAsserts.hpp
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class ShenandoahAsserts {
                                const char *file, int line);
 
   static void assert_in_heap(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char* file, int line);
+  static void assert_in_heap_or_null(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char* file, int line);
   static void assert_in_correct_region(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char* file, int line);
 
   static void assert_correct(void* interior_loc, oop obj, const char* file, int line);
@@ -76,6 +77,8 @@ class ShenandoahAsserts {
 #ifdef ASSERT
 #define shenandoah_assert_in_heap(interior_loc, obj) \
                     ShenandoahAsserts::assert_in_heap(interior_loc, obj, __FILE__, __LINE__)
+#define shenandoah_assert_in_heap_or_null(interior_loc, obj) \
+                    ShenandoahAsserts::assert_in_heap_or_null(interior_loc, obj, __FILE__, __LINE__)
 #define shenandoah_assert_in_correct_region(interior_loc, obj) \
                     ShenandoahAsserts::assert_in_correct_region(interior_loc, obj, __FILE__, __LINE__)
 
@@ -149,6 +152,7 @@ class ShenandoahAsserts {
                     ShenandoahAsserts::assert_heaplocked_or_safepoint(__FILE__, __LINE__)
 #else
 #define shenandoah_assert_in_heap(interior_loc, obj)
+#define shenandoah_assert_in_heap_or_null(interior_loc, obj)
 #define shenandoah_assert_in_correct_region(interior_loc, obj)
 
 #define shenandoah_assert_correct_if(interior_loc, obj, condition)
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.cpp
index dc9dd4ee39850..9f0d775829cb4 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.cpp
@@ -109,41 +109,6 @@ bool ShenandoahBarrierSet::need_keep_alive_barrier(DecoratorSet decorators,Basic
   return (on_weak_ref || unknown) && keep_alive;
 }
 
-oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::load_reference_barrier_not_null(oop obj) {
-  if (ShenandoahLoadRefBarrier && _heap->has_forwarded_objects()) {
-    return load_reference_barrier_impl(obj);
-  } else {
-    return obj;
-  }
-}
-
-oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::load_reference_barrier(oop obj) {
-  if (obj != NULL) {
-    return load_reference_barrier_not_null(obj);
-  } else {
-    return obj;
-  }
-}
-
-oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::load_reference_barrier_impl(oop obj) {
-  assert(ShenandoahLoadRefBarrier, "should be enabled");
-  if (!CompressedOops::is_null(obj)) {
-    bool evac_in_progress = _heap->is_evacuation_in_progress();
-    oop fwd = resolve_forwarded_not_null(obj);
-    if (evac_in_progress &&
-        _heap->in_collection_set(obj) &&
-        obj == fwd) {
-      Thread *t = Thread::current();
-      ShenandoahEvacOOMScope oom_evac_scope(t);
-      return _heap->evacuate_object(obj, t);
-    } else {
-      return fwd;
-    }
-  } else {
-    return obj;
-  }
-}
-
 void ShenandoahBarrierSet::on_thread_create(Thread* thread) {
   // Create thread local data
   ShenandoahThreadLocalData::create(thread);
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.hpp
index 5d8194ae26d0a..12435e3470c26 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.hpp
@@ -87,8 +87,7 @@ class ShenandoahBarrierSet: public BarrierSet {
 
   inline void enqueue(oop obj);
 
-  oop load_reference_barrier(oop obj);
-  oop load_reference_barrier_not_null(oop obj);
+  inline oop load_reference_barrier(oop obj);
 
   template <class T>
   inline oop load_reference_barrier_mutator(oop obj, T* load_addr);
@@ -111,8 +110,6 @@ class ShenandoahBarrierSet: public BarrierSet {
   template <class T, bool HAS_FWD, bool EVAC, bool ENQUEUE>
   inline void arraycopy_work(T* src, size_t count);
 
-  oop load_reference_barrier_impl(oop obj);
-
   inline bool need_bulk_update(HeapWord* dst);
 public:
   // Callbacks for runtime accesses.
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.inline.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.inline.hpp
index b98b1168f3ade..e0654769f89b2 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.inline.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.inline.hpp
@@ -76,6 +76,29 @@ inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::load_reference_barrier_mutator(oop obj, T* load
   return fwd;
 }
 
+inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::load_reference_barrier(oop obj) {
+  if (!ShenandoahLoadRefBarrier) {
+    return obj;
+  }
+  if (_heap->has_forwarded_objects() &&
+      _heap->in_collection_set(obj)) { // Subsumes NULL-check
+    assert(obj != NULL, "cset check must have subsumed NULL-check");
+    oop fwd = resolve_forwarded_not_null(obj);
+    // TODO: It should not be necessary to check evac-in-progress here.
+    // We do it for mark-compact, which may have forwarded objects,
+    // and objects in cset and gets here via runtime barriers.
+    // We can probably fix this as soon as mark-compact has its own
+    // marking phase.
+    if (obj == fwd && _heap->is_evacuation_in_progress()) {
+       Thread* t = Thread::current();
+      ShenandoahEvacOOMScope oom_evac_scope(t);
+      return _heap->evacuate_object(obj, t);
+    }
+    return fwd;
+  }
+  return obj;
+}
+
 template <class T>
 inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::load_reference_barrier_native(oop obj, T* load_addr) {
   if (CompressedOops::is_null(obj)) {
@@ -92,7 +115,7 @@ inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::load_reference_barrier_native(oop obj, T* load_
     }
   }
 
-  oop fwd = load_reference_barrier_not_null(obj);
+  oop fwd = load_reference_barrier(obj);
   if (ShenandoahSelfFixing && load_addr != NULL && fwd != obj) {
     // Since we are here and we know the load address, update the reference.
     ShenandoahHeap::cas_oop(fwd, load_addr, obj);
@@ -128,8 +151,7 @@ inline void ShenandoahBarrierSet::satb_barrier(T *field) {
 }
 
 inline void ShenandoahBarrierSet::satb_enqueue(oop value) {
-  assert(value != NULL, "checked before");
-  if (ShenandoahSATBBarrier && _heap->is_concurrent_mark_in_progress()) {
+  if (value != NULL && ShenandoahSATBBarrier && _heap->is_concurrent_mark_in_progress()) {
     enqueue(value);
   }
 }
@@ -142,7 +164,6 @@ inline void ShenandoahBarrierSet::storeval_barrier(oop obj) {
 
 inline void ShenandoahBarrierSet::keep_alive_if_weak(DecoratorSet decorators, oop value) {
   assert((decorators & ON_UNKNOWN_OOP_REF) == 0, "Reference strength must be known");
-  assert(value != NULL, "checked by caller");
   const bool on_strong_oop_ref = (decorators & ON_STRONG_OOP_REF) != 0;
   const bool peek              = (decorators & AS_NO_KEEPALIVE) != 0;
   if (!peek && !on_strong_oop_ref) {
@@ -152,7 +173,6 @@ inline void ShenandoahBarrierSet::keep_alive_if_weak(DecoratorSet decorators, oo
 
 template <DecoratorSet decorators>
 inline void ShenandoahBarrierSet::keep_alive_if_weak(oop value) {
-  assert(value != NULL, "checked by caller");
   assert((decorators & ON_UNKNOWN_OOP_REF) == 0, "Reference strength must be known");
   if (!HasDecorator<decorators, ON_STRONG_OOP_REF>::value &&
       !HasDecorator<decorators, AS_NO_KEEPALIVE>::value) {
@@ -167,9 +187,7 @@ inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::AccessBarrier<decorators, BarrierSetT>::oop_loa
   if (value != NULL) {
     ShenandoahBarrierSet *const bs = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set();
     value = bs->load_reference_barrier_native(value, addr);
-    if (value != NULL) {
-      bs->keep_alive_if_weak<decorators>(value);
-    }
+    bs->keep_alive_if_weak<decorators>(value);
   }
   return value;
 }
@@ -178,23 +196,19 @@ template <DecoratorSet decorators, typename BarrierSetT>
 template <typename T>
 inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::AccessBarrier<decorators, BarrierSetT>::oop_load_in_heap(T* addr) {
   oop value = Raw::oop_load_in_heap(addr);
-  if (value != NULL) {
-    ShenandoahBarrierSet *const bs = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set();
-    value = bs->load_reference_barrier_not_null(value);
-    bs->keep_alive_if_weak<decorators>(value);
-  }
+  ShenandoahBarrierSet *const bs = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set();
+  value = bs->load_reference_barrier(value);
+  bs->keep_alive_if_weak<decorators>(value);
   return value;
 }
 
 template <DecoratorSet decorators, typename BarrierSetT>
 inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::AccessBarrier<decorators, BarrierSetT>::oop_load_in_heap_at(oop base, ptrdiff_t offset) {
   oop value = Raw::oop_load_in_heap_at(base, offset);
-  if (value != NULL) {
-    ShenandoahBarrierSet *const bs = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set();
-    value = bs->load_reference_barrier_not_null(value);
-    bs->keep_alive_if_weak(AccessBarrierSupport::resolve_possibly_unknown_oop_ref_strength<decorators>(base, offset),
-                           value);
-  }
+  ShenandoahBarrierSet *const bs = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set();
+  value = bs->load_reference_barrier(value);
+  bs->keep_alive_if_weak(AccessBarrierSupport::resolve_possibly_unknown_oop_ref_strength<decorators>(base, offset),
+                         value);
   return value;
 }
 
@@ -239,10 +253,8 @@ inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::AccessBarrier<decorators, BarrierSetT>::oop_ato
 
   // Note: We don't need a keep-alive-barrier here. We already enqueue any loaded reference for SATB anyway,
   // because it must be the previous value.
-  if (res != NULL) {
-    res = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set()->load_reference_barrier_not_null(res);
-    bs->satb_enqueue(res);
-  }
+  res = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set()->load_reference_barrier(res);
+  bs->satb_enqueue(res);
   return res;
 }
 
@@ -267,10 +279,8 @@ inline oop ShenandoahBarrierSet::AccessBarrier<decorators, BarrierSetT>::oop_ato
 
   // Note: We don't need a keep-alive-barrier here. We already enqueue any loaded reference for SATB anyway,
   // because it must be the previous value.
-  if (previous != NULL) {
-    previous = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set()->load_reference_barrier_not_null(previous);
-    bs->satb_enqueue(previous);
-  }
+  previous = ShenandoahBarrierSet::barrier_set()->load_reference_barrier(previous);
+  bs->satb_enqueue(previous);
   return previous;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahCollectionSet.inline.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahCollectionSet.inline.hpp
index fbb34b808c514..a327524a72d67 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahCollectionSet.inline.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahCollectionSet.inline.hpp
@@ -40,12 +40,12 @@ bool ShenandoahCollectionSet::is_in(ShenandoahHeapRegion* r) const {
 }
 
 bool ShenandoahCollectionSet::is_in(oop p) const {
-  shenandoah_assert_in_heap(NULL, p);
+  shenandoah_assert_in_heap_or_null(NULL, p);
   return is_in_loc(cast_from_oop<void*>(p));
 }
 
 bool ShenandoahCollectionSet::is_in_loc(void* p) const {
-  assert(_heap->is_in(p), "Must be in the heap");
+  assert(p == NULL || _heap->is_in(p), "Must be in the heap");
   uintx index = ((uintx) p) >> _region_size_bytes_shift;
   // no need to subtract the bottom of the heap from p,
   // _biased_cset_map is biased
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/stackValue.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/stackValue.cpp
index 43828d621d438..91ca8fe585026 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/stackValue.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/stackValue.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #include "gc/z/zBarrier.inline.hpp"
 #endif
 #if INCLUDE_SHENANDOAHGC
-#include "gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.hpp"
+#include "gc/shenandoah/shenandoahBarrierSet.inline.hpp"
 #endif
 
 StackValue* StackValue::create_stack_value(const frame* fr, const RegisterMap* reg_map, ScopeValue* sv) {