--- a/src/array_list.c	Sat Dec 20 11:08:30 2025 +0100
+++ b/src/array_list.c	Sat Dec 20 11:11:58 2025 +0100
@@ -314,7 +314,9 @@
                             left_src += elem_size;
                             skip_len++;
                         } else {
-                            break;
+                            // should be unreachable because the requirement is
+                            // that the source array is sorted
+                            break; // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
                         }
                     }
                 }