diff --git a/src/ports/SkMemory_malloc.cpp b/src/ports/SkMemory_malloc.cpp
index 49dafdb..6a1c3a9 100644
--- a/src/ports/SkMemory_malloc.cpp
+++ b/src/ports/SkMemory_malloc.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@
 }
 
 void sk_free(void* p) {
-    if (p) {
+    // The guard here produces a performance improvement across many tests, and many platforms.
+    // Removing the check was tried in skia cl 588037.
+    if (p != nullptr) {
         free(p);
     }
 }