diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index b1c35c35a..7eb69c394 100644
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -16875,7 +16875,9 @@ buffer boundaries with possible narrowing."
 			      (overlay-put
 			       ov 'modification-hooks
 			       (list 'org-display-inline-remove-overlay))
-			      (overlay-put ov 'keymap image-map)
+			      (when (<= 26 emacs-major-version)
+				(cl-assert (boundp 'image-map))
+				(overlay-put ov 'keymap image-map))
 			      (push ov org-inline-image-overlays))))))))))))))))
 
 (defun org-display-inline-remove-overlay (ov after _beg _end &optional _len)