diff --git a/changes/bug34077 b/changes/bug34077
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..29458bd9de4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug34077
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (compiler warnings):
+    - Fix compilation warnings with GCC 10.0.1. Fixes bug 34077; bugfix on
+      0.4.0.3-alpha.
diff --git a/src/feature/dirauth/shared_random_state.c b/src/feature/dirauth/shared_random_state.c
index 76befb0f5fc..4078d6a24ac 100644
--- a/src/feature/dirauth/shared_random_state.c
+++ b/src/feature/dirauth/shared_random_state.c
@@ -1066,8 +1066,9 @@ sr_state_set_valid_after(time_t valid_after)
 sr_phase_t
 sr_state_get_phase(void)
 {
-  void *ptr;
+  void *ptr=NULL;
   state_query(SR_STATE_ACTION_GET, SR_STATE_OBJ_PHASE, NULL, &ptr);
+  tor_assert(ptr);
   return *(sr_phase_t *) ptr;
 }