diff --git a/src/hotspot/cpu/ppc/abstractInterpreter_ppc.cpp b/src/hotspot/cpu/ppc/abstractInterpreter_ppc.cpp
index beadce33637..e59a6d05ea4 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/cpu/ppc/abstractInterpreter_ppc.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/cpu/ppc/abstractInterpreter_ppc.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ int AbstractInterpreter::size_activation(int max_stack,
 //   It is also guaranteed to be walkable even though it is in a skeletal state
 //
 // is_top_frame == true:
-//   We're processing the *oldest* interpreter frame!
+//   We're processing the *youngest* interpreter frame on top of stack!
 //
 // pop_frame_extra_args:
 //   If this is != 0 we are returning to a deoptimized frame by popping
@@ -133,6 +133,17 @@ void AbstractInterpreter::layout_activation(Method* method,
     assert(locals_base <= caller->interpreter_frame_expression_stack(), "bad placement");
     const int caller_abi_bytesize = (is_bottom_frame ? frame::top_ijava_frame_abi_size : frame::parent_ijava_frame_abi_size);
     intptr_t* l2 = caller->sp() + method->max_locals() - 1 + (caller_abi_bytesize / Interpreter::stackElementSize);
+    if (locals_base < l2) {
+      tty->print_cr("======================= ASSERTION =====================");
+      tty->print_cr("locals_base:" PTR_FORMAT " l2:" PTR_FORMAT, p2i(locals_base), p2i(l2));
+      tty->print_cr("is_top_frame:%d is_bottom_frame:%d", is_top_frame, is_bottom_frame);
+      tty->print_cr("method->max_locals():%d caller_actual_parameters:%d", method->max_locals(), caller_actual_parameters);
+      tty->print_cr("frame::top_ijava_frame_abi_size=%d frame::parent_ijava_frame_abi_size=%d", frame::top_ijava_frame_abi_size, frame::parent_ijava_frame_abi_size);
+      tty->print_cr("caller->interpreter_frame_esp():" PTR_FORMAT, p2i(caller->interpreter_frame_esp()));
+      tty->print_cr("caller->sp():" PTR_FORMAT, p2i(caller->sp()));
+      tty->print_cr("caller: "); caller->print_on(tty);
+      tty->print_cr("method: "); method->print_on(tty);
+    }
     assert(locals_base >= l2, "bad placement");
   }
 #endif