diff --git a/widget/windows/WindowsEMF.h b/widget/windows/WindowsEMF.h
index 6f8c077f7520..2bb75f0828fb 100644
--- a/widget/windows/WindowsEMF.h
+++ b/widget/windows/WindowsEMF.h
@@ -50,7 +50,13 @@ public:
    * to draw EMF onto the given DC or call SaveToFile() to finish writing the
    * EMF file.
    */
-  HDC GetDC() { return mDC; }
+  HDC GetDC() const
+  {
+    MOZ_ASSERT(mDC, "GetDC can be used only after "
+                    "InitForDrawing/ InitFromFileContents and before"
+                    "Playback/ SaveToFile");
+    return mDC;
+  }
 
   /**
    * Play the EMF's drawing commands onto the given DC.