Unsafe cast with 'return' should be replaced with the safe one

Reports an unsafe cast with return in variable assignments or in value arguments that can be replaced with a safe cast.

The quick-fix replaces the unsafe cast with a safe cast.

Example

    fun test(x: Any): Any? {
        val y = x as String ?: return null
    }

After the quick-fix is applied:

  fun test(x: Any): Any? {
      val y = x as? String ?: return null
  }

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.

UnsafeCastWithReturn

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: UnsafeCastWithReturn

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 UnsafeCastWithReturn

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