diff --git a/src/stub/scripts/bin2h.py b/src/stub/scripts/bin2h.py
index cd45b747..c864c27e 100644
--- a/src/stub/scripts/bin2h.py
+++ b/src/stub/scripts/bin2h.py
@@ -263,6 +263,9 @@ def compress_stub(method, idata):
 # ************************************************************************/
 
 def main(argv):
+    try: assert 0
+    except AssertionError: pass
+    else: raise Exception("fatal error - assertions not enabled")
     shortopts, longopts = "qv", [
         "compress=", "dry-run", "ident=", "mode=", "quiet", "verbose"
     ]
@@ -351,4 +354,3 @@ def main(argv):
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.exit(main(sys.argv))
-
diff --git a/src/stub/scripts/brandelf.py b/src/stub/scripts/brandelf.py
index ed92cab3..746badb3 100644
--- a/src/stub/scripts/brandelf.py
+++ b/src/stub/scripts/brandelf.py
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ def do_file(fn):
 
 
 def main(argv):
+    try: assert 0
+    except AssertionError: pass
+    else: raise Exception("fatal error - assertions not enabled")
     shortopts, longopts = "qv", [
         "bfdname=", "dry-run", "elfosabi=", "quiet", "verbose"
     ]
@@ -132,4 +135,3 @@ def main(argv):
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.exit(main(sys.argv))
-
diff --git a/src/stub/scripts/gpp_inc.py b/src/stub/scripts/gpp_inc.py
index f6dc6044..10300563 100644
--- a/src/stub/scripts/gpp_inc.py
+++ b/src/stub/scripts/gpp_inc.py
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ def handle_file(ifn, ofp, parent_state=None):
 
 
 def main(argv):
+    try: assert 0
+    except AssertionError: pass
+    else: raise Exception("fatal error - assertions not enabled")
     ofile = None
     shortopts, longopts = "qvI:o:", ["dry-run", "MF=", "MMD=", "mode=", "quiet", "verbose"]
     xopts, args = getopt.gnu_getopt(argv[1:], shortopts, longopts)
@@ -187,4 +190,3 @@ def main(argv):
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.exit(main(sys.argv))
-
diff --git a/src/stub/scripts/xstrip.py b/src/stub/scripts/xstrip.py
index 8a663d94..cc8b460b 100644
--- a/src/stub/scripts/xstrip.py
+++ b/src/stub/scripts/xstrip.py
@@ -174,7 +174,11 @@ def do_file(fn):
     pos = idata.find("\0.symtab\0.strtab\0.shstrtab\0")
     if opts.with_dump:
         eh, odata = strip_with_dump(opts.with_dump, eh, idata)
-#        assert len(odata) == pos, "unexpected strip_with_dump"
+        if re.search(r"^powerpc64le-", os.path.basename(fn)):
+            # FIXME / TODO
+            pass
+        else:
+            assert pos == len(odata), ("unexpected strip_with_dump", pos, len(odata))
     else:
         if pos >= 0:
             odata = idata[:pos]
@@ -187,6 +191,9 @@ def do_file(fn):
 
 
 def main(argv):
+    try: assert 0
+    except AssertionError: pass
+    else: raise Exception("fatal error - assertions not enabled")
     shortopts, longopts = "qv", [
         "create-bindump=", "dry-run", "quiet", "verbose", "with-dump="
     ]
@@ -214,4 +221,3 @@ def main(argv):
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.exit(main(sys.argv))
-