diff --git a/src/plugins/gtpu/gtpu.c b/src/plugins/gtpu/gtpu.c
index 905ca5e..b0d7839 100644
--- a/src/plugins/gtpu/gtpu.c
+++ b/src/plugins/gtpu/gtpu.c
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@
   uword *vtep = ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
     hash_get (gtpu_main.vtep4, ip->ip4.as_u32) :
     hash_get_mem (gtpu_main.vtep6, &ip->ip6);
-  ASSERT (vtep);
+  ALWAYS_ASSERT (vtep);
   if (--(*vtep) != 0)
     return *vtep;
   ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
diff --git a/src/vnet/dpo/load_balance_map.c b/src/vnet/dpo/load_balance_map.c
index bf5d1fb..7da360b 100644
--- a/src/vnet/dpo/load_balance_map.c
+++ b/src/vnet/dpo/load_balance_map.c
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@
     {
         p = hash_get(lb_maps_by_path_index, lbmp->lbmp_index);
 
-        ASSERT(NULL != p);
+        ALWAYS_ASSERT(NULL != p);
 
         fib_node_list_remove(p[0], lbmp->lbmp_sibling);
     }
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@
                 tmp_buckets[jj++] = bucket++;
             }
         }
-        else 
+        else
         {
             bucket += lbmp->lbmp_weight;
         }
diff --git a/src/vnet/fib/fib_attached_export.c b/src/vnet/fib/fib_attached_export.c
index 3c9c2bf..4a33b88 100644
--- a/src/vnet/fib/fib_attached_export.c
+++ b/src/vnet/fib/fib_attached_export.c
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@
 
             fed = fib_entry_delegate_find(export_entry,
                                           FIB_ENTRY_DELEGATE_ATTACHED_EXPORT);
-            ASSERT(NULL != fed);
+            ALWAYS_ASSERT(NULL != fed);
 
 	    export = pool_elt_at_index(fib_ae_export_pool, fed->fd_index);
 
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@
 	pool_put(fib_ae_import_pool, import);
         fib_entry_delegate_remove(fib_entry,
                                   FIB_ENTRY_DELEGATE_ATTACHED_IMPORT);
-    }	
+    }
 }
 
 void
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@
     s = format(s, "export-sibling:%d ", import->faei_export_sibling);
     s = format(s, "exporter:%d ", import->faei_exporter);
     s = format(s, "export-fib:%d ", import->faei_export_fib);
- 
+
     s = format(s, "import-entry:%d ", import->faei_import_entry);
     s = format(s, "import-fib:%d ", import->faei_import_fib);
 
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@
     fib_ae_export_t *export;
 
     export = pool_elt_at_index(fib_ae_export_pool, expi);
-    
+
     s = format(s, "\n  Attached-Export:%d:[", (export - fib_ae_export_pool));
     s = format(s, "export-entry:%d ", export->faee_ei);
 
diff --git a/src/vnet/geneve/encap.c b/src/vnet/geneve/encap.c
index af52fd2..2859a9a 100644
--- a/src/vnet/geneve/encap.c
+++ b/src/vnet/geneve/encap.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@
 	      next0 = t0->next_dpo.dpoi_next_node;
 	    }
 
-	  ASSERT (t0 != NULL);
+	  ALWAYS_ASSERT (t0 != NULL);
 
 	  vnet_buffer (b[0])->ip.adj_index[VLIB_TX] = t0->next_dpo.dpoi_index;
 
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
 	      next1 = t1->next_dpo.dpoi_next_node;
 	    }
 
-	  ASSERT (t1 != NULL);
+	  ALWAYS_ASSERT (t1 != NULL);
 
 	  vnet_buffer (b[1])->ip.adj_index[VLIB_TX] = t1->next_dpo.dpoi_index;
 
@@ -378,6 +378,9 @@
 	      /* Note: change to always set next0 if it may be set to drop */
 	      next0 = t0->next_dpo.dpoi_next_node;
 	    }
+
+	  ALWAYS_ASSERT (t0 != NULL);
+
 	  vnet_buffer (b[0])->ip.adj_index[VLIB_TX] = t0->next_dpo.dpoi_index;
 
 	  /* Apply the rewrite string. $$$$ vnet_rewrite? */
diff --git a/src/vnet/geneve/geneve.c b/src/vnet/geneve/geneve.c
index 0c551a0..a54a538 100644
--- a/src/vnet/geneve/geneve.c
+++ b/src/vnet/geneve/geneve.c
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@
   uword *vtep = ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
     hash_get (geneve_main.vtep4, ip->ip4.as_u32) :
     hash_get_mem (geneve_main.vtep6, &ip->ip6);
-  ASSERT (vtep);
+  ALWAYS_ASSERT (vtep);
   if (--(*vtep) != 0)
     return *vtep;
   ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_output.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_output.c
index 2ba965a..d09a027 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_output.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_output.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@
       if (PREDICT_FALSE (last_sw_if_index != sw_if_index0))
 	{
 	  uword *p = hash_get (im->spd_index_by_sw_if_index, sw_if_index0);
-	  ASSERT (p);
+	  ALWAYS_ASSERT (p);
 	  spd_index0 = p[0];
 	  spd0 = pool_elt_at_index (im->spds, spd_index0);
 	  last_sw_if_index = sw_if_index0;
diff --git a/src/vnet/session/application_worker.c b/src/vnet/session/application_worker.c
index 1db6baa..0b67d29 100644
--- a/src/vnet/session/application_worker.c
+++ b/src/vnet/session/application_worker.c
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@
 {
   uword *smp;
   smp = hash_get (app->listeners_table, listen_session_get_handle (listener));
-  ASSERT (smp != 0);
+  ALWAYS_ASSERT (smp != 0);
   return segment_manager_get (*smp);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/vnet/vxlan-gbp/vxlan_gbp.c b/src/vnet/vxlan-gbp/vxlan_gbp.c
index 80eecb4..9a8158e 100644
--- a/src/vnet/vxlan-gbp/vxlan_gbp.c
+++ b/src/vnet/vxlan-gbp/vxlan_gbp.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@
   uword *vtep = ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
     hash_get (vxlan_gbp_main.vtep4, ip->ip4.as_u32) :
     hash_get_mem (vxlan_gbp_main.vtep6, &ip->ip6);
-  ASSERT (vtep);
+  ALWAYS_ASSERT (vtep);
   if (--(*vtep) != 0)
     return *vtep;
   ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
diff --git a/src/vnet/vxlan-gpe/vxlan_gpe.c b/src/vnet/vxlan-gpe/vxlan_gpe.c
index 86157c0..e5ff4f7 100644
--- a/src/vnet/vxlan-gpe/vxlan_gpe.c
+++ b/src/vnet/vxlan-gpe/vxlan_gpe.c
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@
   uword *vtep = ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
     hash_get (vxlan_gpe_main.vtep4, ip->ip4.as_u32) :
     hash_get_mem (vxlan_gpe_main.vtep6, &ip->ip6);
-  ASSERT (vtep);
+  ALWAYS_ASSERT (vtep);
   if (--(*vtep) != 0)
     return *vtep;
   ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
diff --git a/src/vnet/vxlan/vxlan.c b/src/vnet/vxlan/vxlan.c
index 2b85251..3264749 100644
--- a/src/vnet/vxlan/vxlan.c
+++ b/src/vnet/vxlan/vxlan.c
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@
   uword *vtep = ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
     hash_get (vxlan_main.vtep4, ip->ip4.as_u32) :
     hash_get_mem (vxlan_main.vtep6, &ip->ip6);
-  ASSERT (vtep);
+  ALWAYS_ASSERT (vtep);
   if (--(*vtep) != 0)
     return *vtep;
   ip46_address_is_ip4 (ip) ?
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@
 {
   ASSERT (ip46_address_is_multicast (ip));
   uword *p = hash_get_mem (vxlan_main.mcast_shared, ip);
-  ASSERT (p);
+  ALWAYS_ASSERT (p);
   mcast_shared_t ret = {.as_u64 = *p };
   return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/vppinfra/error_bootstrap.h b/src/vppinfra/error_bootstrap.h
index 1cd9105..8dbbc7f 100644
--- a/src/vppinfra/error_bootstrap.h
+++ b/src/vppinfra/error_bootstrap.h
@@ -79,6 +79,35 @@
     }							\
 } while (0)
 
+/*
+ * This version always generates code, and has a Coverity-specific
+ * version to stop Coverity complaining about
+ * ALWAYS_ASSERT(p != 0); p->member...
+ */
+
+#ifndef __COVERITY__
+#define ALWAYS_ASSERT(truth)				\
+do {							\
+  if (PREDICT_FALSE(!(truth)))                          \
+    {							\
+      _clib_error (CLIB_ERROR_ABORT, 0, 0,		\
+		   "%s:%d (%s) assertion `%s' fails",	\
+		   __FILE__,				\
+		   (uword) __LINE__,			\
+		   clib_error_function,			\
+		   # truth);				\
+    }							\
+} while (0)
+#else /* __COVERITY__ */
+#define ALWAYS_ASSERT(truth)                    \
+do {                                            \
+  if (PREDICT_FALSE(!(truth)))                  \
+    {                                           \
+      abort();                                  \
+    }                                           \
+} while (0)
+#endif /* __COVERITY */
+
 #if defined(__clang__)
 #define STATIC_ASSERT(truth,...)
 #else