diff --git a/src/ic/handler-configuration.cc b/src/ic/handler-configuration.cc
index 04dcc82783..7a5d6a46f7 100644
--- a/src/ic/handler-configuration.cc
+++ b/src/ic/handler-configuration.cc
@@ -123,9 +123,6 @@ Handle<Object> LoadHandler::LoadFromPrototype(Isolate* isolate,
 
   Handle<Object> validity_cell =
       Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(receiver_map, isolate);
-  if (validity_cell.is_null()) {
-    validity_cell = handle(Smi::FromInt(Map::kPrototypeChainValid), isolate);
-  }
 
   int data_count = 1 + checks_count;
   Handle<LoadHandler> handler = isolate->factory()->NewLoadHandler(data_count);
@@ -149,11 +146,10 @@ Handle<Object> LoadHandler::LoadFullChain(Isolate* isolate,
 
   Handle<Object> validity_cell =
       Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(receiver_map, isolate);
-  if (validity_cell.is_null()) {
+  if (validity_cell->IsSmi()) {
     DCHECK_EQ(0, checks_count);
     // Lookup on receiver isn't supported in case of a simple smi handler.
     if (!LookupOnReceiverBits::decode(smi_handler->value())) return smi_handler;
-    validity_cell = handle(Smi::FromInt(Map::kPrototypeChainValid), isolate);
   }
 
   int data_count = 1 + checks_count;
@@ -191,9 +187,6 @@ Handle<Object> StoreHandler::StoreElementTransition(
                           .GetCode();
   Handle<Object> validity_cell =
       Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(receiver_map, isolate);
-  if (validity_cell.is_null()) {
-    validity_cell = handle(Smi::FromInt(Map::kPrototypeChainValid), isolate);
-  }
   Handle<WeakCell> cell = Map::WeakCellForMap(transition);
   Handle<StoreHandler> handler = isolate->factory()->NewStoreHandler(1);
   handler->set_smi_handler(*stub);
@@ -227,9 +220,6 @@ Handle<Object> StoreHandler::StoreTransition(Isolate* isolate,
   if (is_dictionary_map || !transition_map->IsPrototypeValidityCellValid()) {
     validity_cell =
         Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(transition_map, isolate);
-    if (validity_cell.is_null()) {
-      validity_cell = handle(Smi::FromInt(Map::kPrototypeChainValid), isolate);
-    }
   }
 
   if (is_dictionary_map) {
@@ -266,10 +256,7 @@ Handle<Object> StoreHandler::StoreThroughPrototype(
 
   Handle<Object> validity_cell =
       Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(receiver_map, isolate);
-  if (validity_cell.is_null()) {
-    DCHECK_EQ(0, checks_count);
-    validity_cell = handle(Smi::FromInt(Map::kPrototypeChainValid), isolate);
-  }
+  DCHECK_IMPLIES(validity_cell->IsSmi(), checks_count == 0);
 
   int data_count = 1 + checks_count;
   Handle<StoreHandler> handler =
diff --git a/src/ic/ic.cc b/src/ic/ic.cc
index ddd42d78ac..9c80e838f9 100644
--- a/src/ic/ic.cc
+++ b/src/ic/ic.cc
@@ -1860,7 +1860,10 @@ Handle<Object> KeyedStoreIC::StoreElementHandler(
 
   Handle<Object> validity_cell =
       Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(receiver_map, isolate());
-  if (validity_cell.is_null()) return stub;
+  if (validity_cell->IsSmi()) {
+    // There's no prototype validity cell to check, so we can just use the stub.
+    return stub;
+  }
   Handle<StoreHandler> handler = isolate()->factory()->NewStoreHandler(0);
   handler->set_validity_cell(*validity_cell);
   handler->set_smi_handler(*stub);
diff --git a/src/lookup.cc b/src/lookup.cc
index 409b90bd6a..7b1fd91be6 100644
--- a/src/lookup.cc
+++ b/src/lookup.cc
@@ -588,10 +588,6 @@ void LookupIterator::ApplyTransitionToDataProperty(
     // configuration can produce valid transition handler maps.
     Handle<Object> validity_cell =
         Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(transition, isolate());
-    if (validity_cell.is_null()) {
-      validity_cell =
-          handle(Smi::FromInt(Map::kPrototypeChainValid), isolate());
-    }
     transition->set_prototype_validity_cell(*validity_cell);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/objects.cc b/src/objects.cc
index d2bfe41fdb..c369ff8f44 100644
--- a/src/objects.cc
+++ b/src/objects.cc
@@ -12568,8 +12568,8 @@ void Map::SetShouldBeFastPrototypeMap(Handle<Map> map, bool value,
 }
 
 // static
-Handle<Cell> Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(Handle<Map> map,
-                                                        Isolate* isolate) {
+Handle<Object> Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(Handle<Map> map,
+                                                          Isolate* isolate) {
   Handle<Object> maybe_prototype;
   if (map->IsJSGlobalObjectMap()) {
     DCHECK(map->is_prototype_map());
@@ -12580,7 +12580,9 @@ Handle<Cell> Map::GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(Handle<Map> map,
     maybe_prototype =
         handle(map->GetPrototypeChainRootMap(isolate)->prototype(), isolate);
   }
-  if (!maybe_prototype->IsJSObject()) return Handle<Cell>::null();
+  if (!maybe_prototype->IsJSObject()) {
+    return handle(Smi::FromInt(Map::kPrototypeChainValid), isolate);
+  }
   Handle<JSObject> prototype = Handle<JSObject>::cast(maybe_prototype);
   // Ensure the prototype is registered with its own prototypes so its cell
   // will be invalidated when necessary.
diff --git a/src/objects/map.h b/src/objects/map.h
index 16d66243e6..4af6902f5c 100644
--- a/src/objects/map.h
+++ b/src/objects/map.h
@@ -420,11 +420,13 @@ class Map : public HeapObject {
                                           Isolate* isolate);
 
   // [prototype chain validity cell]: Associated with a prototype object,
-  // stored in that object's map's PrototypeInfo, indicates that prototype
-  // chains through this object are currently valid. The cell will be
-  // invalidated and replaced when the prototype chain changes.
-  static Handle<Cell> GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(Handle<Map> map,
-                                                            Isolate* isolate);
+  // stored in that object's map, indicates that prototype chains through this
+  // object are currently valid. The cell will be invalidated and replaced when
+  // the prototype chain changes. When there's nothing to guard (for example,
+  // when direct prototype is null or Proxy) this function returns Smi with
+  // |kPrototypeChainValid| sentinel value.
+  static Handle<Object> GetOrCreatePrototypeChainValidityCell(Handle<Map> map,
+                                                              Isolate* isolate);
   static const int kPrototypeChainValid = 0;
   static const int kPrototypeChainInvalid = 1;