diff --git a/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc b/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc
index ba8f5f3f8bd..a6e126edda1 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc
+++ b/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc
@@ -82,7 +82,11 @@ XmppClient::XmppClient(EventManager *evm, const XmppChannelConfig *config)
 
             // Verify peer has CA signed certificate
             ctx->set_verify_mode(boost::asio::ssl::verify_peer, ec);
-            assert(ec.value() == 0);
+            if (ec.value() != 0) {
+                LOG(ERROR, "Error : " << ec.message()
+                    << ", while setting ssl verification mode");
+                exit(EINVAL);
+            }
 
             ctx->load_verify_file(config->path_to_ca_cert, ec);
             if (ec.value() != 0) {
diff --git a/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc b/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc
index a4ad851ba89..d8279f94d74 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc
+++ b/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc
@@ -88,7 +88,11 @@ XmppServer::XmppServer(EventManager *evm, const string &server_addr,
 
             // Verify peer has CA signed certificate
             ctx->set_verify_mode(boost::asio::ssl::verify_peer, ec);
-            assert(ec.value() == 0);
+            if (ec.value() != 0) {
+                LOG(ERROR, "Error : " << ec.message()
+                    << ", while setting ssl verification mode");
+                exit(EINVAL);
+            }
 
             ctx->load_verify_file(config->path_to_ca_cert, ec);
             if (ec.value() != 0) {