diff --git a/ax25_pad.c b/ax25_pad.c
index b8bdbea..d8af765 100644
--- a/ax25_pad.c
+++ b/ax25_pad.c
@@ -418,7 +418,8 @@ packet_t ax25_from_text (char *monitor, int strict)
 
 	this_p->frame_len = 7 + 7 + 1 + 1;
 	this_p->num_addr = (-1);
-	assert (ax25_get_num_addr(this_p) == 2);
+	(void) ax25_get_num_addr(this_p);  // when num_addr is -1, this sets it properly.
+	assert (this_p->num_addr == 2);
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/direwolf.h b/direwolf.h
index 9e32532..6df28ad 100644
--- a/direwolf.h
+++ b/direwolf.h
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 // TODO:   include this file first before anything else in each .c file.
 
 
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+#undef NDEBUG		// Because it would disable assert().
+#endif
+
+
 #ifndef DIREWOLF_H
 #define DIREWOLF_H 1
 
diff --git a/xid.c b/xid.c
index a96b89a..617720c 100644
--- a/xid.c
+++ b/xid.c
@@ -665,6 +665,9 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 	text_color_set (DW_COLOR_ERROR);
 
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+#error	"This won't work properly if NDEBUG is defined.  It should be undefined in direwolf.h"
+#endif
 	assert (n==1);
 	assert (param.full_duplex == 0);
 	assert (param.srej == srej_single);