diff --git a/src/bgp/bgp_config.cc b/src/bgp/bgp_config.cc
index cea403ed553..7108d5b3003 100644
--- a/src/bgp/bgp_config.cc
+++ b/src/bgp/bgp_config.cc
@@ -488,7 +488,8 @@ static void GetRoutingInstanceExportTargets(DBGraph *graph, IFMapNode *node,
             (GetInstanceTargetRouteTarget(graph, adj, &target))) {
             const autogen::InstanceTarget *itarget =
                     dynamic_cast<autogen::InstanceTarget *>(adj->GetObject());
-            assert(itarget);
+            if (!itarget)
+                continue;
             const autogen::InstanceTargetType &itt = itarget->data();
             if (itt.import_export != "import")
                 target_list->push_back(target);
@@ -568,7 +569,8 @@ void BgpInstanceConfig::Update(BgpConfigManager *manager,
             if (GetInstanceTargetRouteTarget(graph, adj, &target)) {
                 const autogen::InstanceTarget *itarget =
                     dynamic_cast<autogen::InstanceTarget *>(adj->GetObject());
-                assert(itarget);
+                if (!itarget)
+                    continue;
                 const autogen::InstanceTargetType &itt = itarget->data();
                 if (itt.import_export == "import") {
                     import_list_.insert(target);
@@ -1164,7 +1166,9 @@ void BgpConfigManager::ProcessBgpPeering(const BgpConfigDelta &delta) {
         event = BgpConfigManager::CFG_ADD;
         string instance_name(IdentifierParent(routers.first->name()));
         BgpInstanceConfig *rti = config_->FindInstance(instance_name);
-        assert(rti != NULL);
+        if (rti == NULL) {
+            return;
+        }
         peering = config_->CreatePeering(rti, proxy);
     } else {
         const IFMapNode *node = peering->node();
diff --git a/src/bgp/routing-instance/routing_instance.cc b/src/bgp/routing-instance/routing_instance.cc
index d81a2de9562..2310955d942 100644
--- a/src/bgp/routing-instance/routing_instance.cc
+++ b/src/bgp/routing-instance/routing_instance.cc
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ void RoutingInstanceMgr::UpdateRoutingInstance(
         RTINSTANCE_LOG_MESSAGE(server_,
             SandeshLevel::SYS_WARN, RTINSTANCE_LOG_FLAG_ALL, config->name(),
             "Instance not found during update");
-        assert(rtinstance != NULL);
+        return;
     }
 
     InstanceTargetRemove(rtinstance);
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ void RoutingInstanceMgr::DeleteRoutingInstance(const string &name) {
         RTINSTANCE_LOG_MESSAGE(server_,
             SandeshLevel::SYS_WARN, RTINSTANCE_LOG_FLAG_ALL, name,
             "Instance not found during delete");
-        assert(rtinstance != NULL);
+        return;
     }
 
     InstanceVnIndexRemove(rtinstance);