diff --git a/milli/src/search/new/bucket_sort.rs b/milli/src/search/new/bucket_sort.rs
index 5144a0a28..808f25b3d 100644
--- a/milli/src/search/new/bucket_sort.rs
+++ b/milli/src/search/new/bucket_sort.rs
@@ -116,16 +116,15 @@ pub fn bucket_sort<'ctx, Q: RankingRuleQueryTrait>(
     }
 
     while valid_docids.len() < length {
-        // The universe for this bucket is zero or one element, so we don't need to sort
-        // anything, just extend the results and go back to the parent ranking rule.
-        if ranking_rule_universes[cur_ranking_rule_index].len() <= 1 {
-            let bucket = std::mem::take(&mut ranking_rule_universes[cur_ranking_rule_index]);
-            maybe_add_to_results!(bucket);
+        // The universe for this bucket is zero element, so we don't need to sort
+        // anything, just go back to the parent ranking rule.
+        if ranking_rule_universes[cur_ranking_rule_index].is_empty() {
             back!();
             continue;
         }
 
-        let Some(next_bucket) = ranking_rules[cur_ranking_rule_index].next_bucket(ctx, logger, &ranking_rule_universes[cur_ranking_rule_index])? else {
+        let Some(next_bucket) = ranking_rules[cur_ranking_rule_index].next_bucket(ctx, logger, &ranking_rule_universes[cur_ranking_rule_index])?
+        else {
             back!();
             continue;
         };
diff --git a/milli/src/search/new/graph_based_ranking_rule.rs b/milli/src/search/new/graph_based_ranking_rule.rs
index dd25ddd4a..cf8556535 100644
--- a/milli/src/search/new/graph_based_ranking_rule.rs
+++ b/milli/src/search/new/graph_based_ranking_rule.rs
@@ -181,9 +181,6 @@ impl<'ctx, G: RankingRuleGraphTrait> RankingRule<'ctx, QueryGraph> for GraphBase
         logger: &mut dyn SearchLogger<QueryGraph>,
         universe: &RoaringBitmap,
     ) -> Result<Option<RankingRuleOutput<QueryGraph>>> {
-        // If universe.len() <= 1, the bucket sort algorithm
-        // should not have called this function.
-        assert!(universe.len() > 1);
         // Will crash if `next_bucket` is called before `start_iteration` or after `end_iteration`,
         // should never happen
         let mut state = self.state.take().unwrap();