diff --git a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
index ecd0823e7b5b49bb3004d6273b0adc5c11692fbd..f419c322f5e4d68297549ccc137e412065c5c568 100644
--- a/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
+++ b/src/runtime2/component/component_context.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ impl CompCtx {
             kind: PortKind::Putter,
             state: PortState::Open,
             peer_comp_id: self.id,
-            associated_with_peer: false,
+            #[cfg(debug_assertions)] associated_with_peer: false,
         });
         self.ports.push(Port{
             self_id: getter_id,
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ impl CompCtx {
             kind: PortKind::Getter,
             state: PortState::Open,
             peer_comp_id: self.id,
-            associated_with_peer: false,
+            #[cfg(debug_assertions)] associated_with_peer: false,
         });
 
         return Channel{ putter_id, getter_id };
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ impl CompCtx {
     pub(crate) fn remove_port(&mut self, port_handle: LocalPortHandle) -> Port {
         let port_index = self.must_get_port_index(port_handle);
         let port = self.ports.remove(port_index);
-        debug_assert!(!port.associated_with_peer);
+        dbg_code!(assert!(!port.associated_with_peer));
         return port;
     }
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ impl CompCtx {
         let self_id = self.id;
         let port = self.get_port_mut(port_handle);
         debug_assert_eq!(port.peer_comp_id, peer_comp_id);
-        debug_assert!(!port.associated_with_peer);
+        dbg_code!(assert!(!port.associated_with_peer));
         if !Self::requires_peer_reference(port, self_id, false) {
             return;
         }
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ impl CompCtx {
             return;
         }
 
-        debug_assert!(port.associated_with_peer);
+        dbg_code!(assert!(port.associated_with_peer));
         dbg_code!(port.associated_with_peer = false);
         let peer_index = self.get_peer_index_by_id(peer_id).unwrap();
         let peer = &mut self.peers[peer_index];