diff --git a/src/osmo-upf/up_peer.c b/src/osmo-upf/up_peer.c
index 2c2eda1..6039b6a 100644
--- a/src/osmo-upf/up_peer.c
+++ b/src/osmo-upf/up_peer.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ void up_peer_set_msg_ctx(struct up_peer *peer, struct osmo_pfcp_msg *m)
 	m->ctx.peer_fi = peer->fi;
 	m->ctx.peer_use_count = &peer->use_count;
 	m->ctx.peer_use_token = (m->rx ? UP_USE_MSG_RX : UP_USE_MSG_TX);
-	osmo_use_count_get_put(m->ctx.peer_use_count, m->ctx.peer_use_token, 1);
+	OSMO_ASSERT(osmo_use_count_get_put(m->ctx.peer_use_count, m->ctx.peer_use_token, 1) == 0);
 }
 
 struct osmo_pfcp_msg *up_peer_init_tx(struct up_peer *peer, struct osmo_pfcp_msg *in_reply_to,
diff --git a/src/osmo-upf/up_session.c b/src/osmo-upf/up_session.c
index fae4c1e..0c2f103 100644
--- a/src/osmo-upf/up_session.c
+++ b/src/osmo-upf/up_session.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void up_session_set_msg_ctx(struct up_session *session, struct osmo_pfcp_msg *m)
 	m->ctx.session_fi = session->fi;
 	m->ctx.session_use_count = &session->use_count;
 	m->ctx.session_use_token = (m->rx ? UP_USE_MSG_RX : UP_USE_MSG_TX);
-	osmo_use_count_get_put(m->ctx.session_use_count, m->ctx.session_use_token, 1);
+	OSMO_ASSERT(osmo_use_count_get_put(m->ctx.session_use_count, m->ctx.session_use_token, 1) == 0);
 }
 
 enum up_session_fsm_state {