diff --git a/src/index/base.cpp b/src/index/base.cpp
index 73783c1a38..5390411432 100644
--- a/src/index/base.cpp
+++ b/src/index/base.cpp
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ bool BaseIndex::Init()
                     prune_violation = false;
                     break;
                 }
+                // block->pprev must exist at this point, since block_to_test is part of the chain
+                // and thus must be encountered when going backwards from the tip
                 assert(block->pprev);
                 block = block->pprev;
             }
diff --git a/test/functional/feature_blockfilterindex_prune.py b/test/functional/feature_blockfilterindex_prune.py
index 198df5c50f..361a9cce01 100755
--- a/test/functional/feature_blockfilterindex_prune.py
+++ b/test/functional/feature_blockfilterindex_prune.py
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ class FeatureBlockfilterindexPruneTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         self.log.info("prune some blocks")
         pruneheight = self.nodes[0].pruneblockchain(400)
+        # the prune heights used here and below are magic numbers that are determined by the
+        # thresholds at which block files wrap, so they depend on disk serialization and default block file size.
         assert_equal(pruneheight, 366)
 
         self.log.info("check if we can access the tips blockfilter when we have pruned some blocks")