diff --git a/tools/perf/util/annotate.c b/tools/perf/util/annotate.c
index a5e87c7f4f4e..60b232eba5c8 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/annotate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/annotate.c
@@ -1729,8 +1729,11 @@ static int symbol__disassemble_bpf(struct symbol *sym,
 	perf_exe(tpath, sizeof(tpath));
 
 	bfdf = bfd_openr(tpath, NULL);
-	assert(bfdf);
-	assert(bfd_check_format(bfdf, bfd_object));
+	if (bfdf == NULL)
+		abort();
+
+	if (!bfd_check_format(bfdf, bfd_object))
+		abort();
 
 	s = open_memstream(&buf, &buf_size);
 	if (!s) {
@@ -1778,7 +1781,8 @@ static int symbol__disassemble_bpf(struct symbol *sym,
 #else
 	disassemble = disassembler(bfdf);
 #endif
-	assert(disassemble);
+	if (disassemble == NULL)
+		abort();
 
 	fflush(s);
 	do {