diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/innodb/r/innodb_bug54044.result b/mysql-test/suite/innodb/r/innodb_bug54044.result
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9574381d8e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/innodb/r/innodb_bug54044.result
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE TABLE_54044 ENGINE = INNODB
+AS SELECT IF(NULL  IS NOT NULL, NULL, NULL);
+ERROR HY000: Can't create table 'test.TABLE_54044' (errno: -1)
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/innodb/t/innodb_bug54044.test b/mysql-test/suite/innodb/t/innodb_bug54044.test
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..824450ae1a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/innodb/t/innodb_bug54044.test
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# This is the test for bug #54044. Special handle MYSQL_TYPE_NULL type
+# during create table, so it will not trigger assertion failure.
+
+--source include/have_innodb.inc
+
+# This 'create table' operation should fail because of
+# using NULL datatype
+--error ER_CANT_CREATE_TABLE
+CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE TABLE_54044 ENGINE = INNODB
+ AS SELECT IF(NULL  IS NOT NULL, NULL, NULL); 
+
diff --git a/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc b/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc
index 9990d7c28f0..d10fcb8d31e 100644
--- a/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc
+++ b/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc
@@ -3242,6 +3242,11 @@ get_innobase_type_from_mysql_type(
 	case MYSQL_TYPE_BLOB:
 	case MYSQL_TYPE_LONG_BLOB:
 		return(DATA_BLOB);
+	case MYSQL_TYPE_NULL:
+		/* MySQL currently accepts "NULL" datatype, but will
+		reject such datatype in the next release. We will cope
+		with it and not trigger assertion failure in 5.1 */
+		break;
 	default:
 		assert(0);
 	}
@@ -5263,7 +5268,22 @@ create_table_def(
 		field = form->field[i];
 
 		col_type = get_innobase_type_from_mysql_type(&unsigned_type,
-									field);
+							     field);
+
+		if (!col_type) {
+			push_warning_printf(
+				(THD*) trx->mysql_thd,
+				MYSQL_ERROR::WARN_LEVEL_WARN,
+				ER_CANT_CREATE_TABLE,
+				"Error creating table '%s' with "
+				"column '%s'. Please check its "
+				"column type and try to re-create "
+				"the table with an appropriate "
+				"column type.",
+				table->name, (char*) field->field_name);
+			goto err_col;
+		}
+
 		if (field->null_ptr) {
 			nulls_allowed = 0;
 		} else {
@@ -5320,7 +5340,7 @@ create_table_def(
 				"different column name.",
 				table->name, (char*) field->field_name,
 				(char*) field->field_name);
-
+err_col:
 			dict_mem_table_free(table);
 			trx_commit_for_mysql(trx);