Safe cast with 'return' should be replaced with 'if' type check

Reports safe cast with return that can be replaced with if type check.

Using corresponding functions simplifies your code.

The quick-fix replaces the safe cast with if type check.

Example:

  fun test(x: Any) {
      x as? String ?: return
  }

After the quick-fix is applied:

  fun test(x: Any) {
      if (x !is String) return
  }

Analogously, it detects unsafe casts in form

    fun foo(o: Any) {
    o as String ?: return
}

and transforms into a type check:

    fun foo(o: Any) {
    if (o !is String) return
}

Locating this inspection

By ID

Can be used to locate inspection in e.g. Qodana configuration files, where you can quickly enable or disable it, or adjust its settings.

SafeCastWithReturn

Via Settings dialog

Path to the inspection settings via IntelliJ Platform IDE Settings dialog, when you need to adjust inspection settings directly from your IDE.

Settings or Preferences | Editor | Inspections | Kotlin | Style issues

Inspection ID: SafeCastWithReturn

Suppressing Inspection

You can suppress this inspection by placing the following comment marker before the code fragment where you no longer want messages from this inspection to appear:

//noinspection SafeCastWithReturn

More detailed instructions as well as other ways and options that you have can be found in the product documentation:

IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3

Inspection Details
By default bundled with:	IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3, Qodana for JVM 2025.3,

Last modified: 03 December 2025