diff --git a/cinder/common/sqlalchemyutils.py b/cinder/common/sqlalchemyutils.py
index 4b4e211a89b..ab3cd16e27e 100644
--- a/cinder/common/sqlalchemyutils.py
+++ b/cinder/common/sqlalchemyutils.py
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ def paginate_query(query, model, limit, sort_keys, marker=None,
         # the actual primary key, rather than assuming its id
         LOG.warning('Id not in sort_keys; is sort_keys unique?')
 
-    assert(not (sort_dir and sort_dirs))
+    if sort_dir and sort_dirs:
+        raise AssertionError('Both sort_dir and sort_dirs specified.')
 
     # Default the sort direction to ascending
     if sort_dirs is None and sort_dir is None:
@@ -108,7 +109,9 @@ def paginate_query(query, model, limit, sort_keys, marker=None,
     if sort_dirs is None:
         sort_dirs = [sort_dir for _sort_key in sort_keys]
 
-    assert(len(sort_dirs) == len(sort_keys))
+    if len(sort_dirs) != len(sort_keys):
+        raise AssertionError(
+            'sort_dirs length is not equal to sort_keys length.')
 
     # Add sorting
     for current_sort_key, current_sort_dir in zip(sort_keys, sort_dirs):
diff --git a/cinder/rpc.py b/cinder/rpc.py
index 527ea8922b7..c7609e3dc8b 100644
--- a/cinder/rpc.py
+++ b/cinder/rpc.py
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ class RequestContextSerializer(messaging.Serializer):
 
 
 def get_client(target, version_cap=None, serializer=None):
-    assert TRANSPORT is not None
+    if TRANSPORT is None:
+        raise AssertionError('RPC transport is not initialized.')
     serializer = RequestContextSerializer(serializer)
     return messaging.RPCClient(TRANSPORT,
                                target,
@@ -148,7 +149,8 @@ def get_client(target, version_cap=None, serializer=None):
 
 
 def get_server(target, endpoints, serializer=None):
-    assert TRANSPORT is not None
+    if TRANSPORT is None:
+        raise AssertionError('RPC transport is not initialized.')
     serializer = RequestContextSerializer(serializer)
     access_policy = dispatcher.DefaultRPCAccessPolicy
     return messaging.get_rpc_server(TRANSPORT,
@@ -161,7 +163,8 @@ def get_server(target, endpoints, serializer=None):
 
 @utils.if_notifications_enabled
 def get_notifier(service=None, host=None, publisher_id=None):
-    assert NOTIFIER is not None
+    if NOTIFIER is None:
+        raise AssertionError('RPC Notifier is not initialized.')
     if not publisher_id:
         publisher_id = "%s.%s" % (service, host or CONF.host)
     return NOTIFIER.prepare(publisher_id=publisher_id)