diff --git a/implementations/caching/CachingBlockStore.cpp b/implementations/caching/CachingBlockStore.cpp
index e2c9d5bf..bf4aef78 100644
--- a/implementations/caching/CachingBlockStore.cpp
+++ b/implementations/caching/CachingBlockStore.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <messmer/cpp-utils/pointer/cast.h>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using cpputils::dynamic_pointer_move;
 using cpputils::Data;
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ optional<unique_ref<Block>> CachingBlockStore::load(const Key &key) {
 
 void CachingBlockStore::remove(cpputils::unique_ref<Block> block) {
   auto cached_block = dynamic_pointer_move<CachedBlock>(block);
-  assert(cached_block != none);
+  ASSERT(cached_block != none, "Passed block is not a CachedBlock");
   auto baseBlock = (*cached_block)->releaseBlock();
   auto baseNewBlock = dynamic_pointer_move<NewBlock>(baseBlock);
   if (baseNewBlock != none) {
diff --git a/implementations/caching/NewBlock.cpp b/implementations/caching/NewBlock.cpp
index 5cae9b8c..59fe7176 100644
--- a/implementations/caching/NewBlock.cpp
+++ b/implementations/caching/NewBlock.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "NewBlock.h"
 #include "CachingBlockStore.h"
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using cpputils::Data;
 using boost::none;
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ const void *NewBlock::data() const {
 }
 
 void NewBlock::write(const void *source, uint64_t offset, uint64_t size) {
-  assert(offset <= _data.size() && offset + size <= _data.size());
+  ASSERT(offset <= _data.size() && offset + size <= _data.size(), "Write outside of valid area");
   std::memcpy((uint8_t*)_data.data()+offset, source, size);
   _dataChanged = true;
 }
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ void NewBlock::writeToBaseBlockIfChanged() {
     if (_baseBlock == none) {
       //TODO _data.copy() necessary?
       auto newBase = _blockStore->tryCreateInBaseStore(key(), _data.copy());
-      assert(newBase != boost::none); //TODO What if tryCreate fails due to a duplicate key? We should ensure we don't use duplicate keys.
+      ASSERT(newBase != boost::none, "Couldn't create base block"); //TODO What if tryCreate fails due to a duplicate key? We should ensure we don't use duplicate keys.
       _baseBlock = std::move(*newBase);
     } else {
         (*_baseBlock)->write(_data.data(), 0, _data.size());
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ void NewBlock::remove() {
 
 void NewBlock::flush() {
   writeToBaseBlockIfChanged();
-  assert(_baseBlock != none);
+  ASSERT(_baseBlock != none, "At this point, the base block should already have been created but wasn't");
   (*_baseBlock)->flush();
 }
 
diff --git a/implementations/caching/cache/Cache.h b/implementations/caching/cache/Cache.h
index 64038881..ddfa2b76 100644
--- a/implementations/caching/cache/Cache.h
+++ b/implementations/caching/cache/Cache.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <mutex>
 #include <boost/optional.hpp>
 #include <future>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 namespace blockstore {
 namespace caching {
@@ -66,10 +67,10 @@ boost::optional<Value> Cache<Key, Value>::pop(const Key &key) {
 template<class Key, class Value>
 void Cache<Key, Value>::push(const Key &key, Value value) {
   std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(_mutex);
-  assert(_cachedBlocks.size() <= MAX_ENTRIES);
+  ASSERT(_cachedBlocks.size() <= MAX_ENTRIES, "Cache too full");
   if (_cachedBlocks.size() == MAX_ENTRIES) {
     _cachedBlocks.pop();
-    assert(_cachedBlocks.size() == MAX_ENTRIES-1);
+    ASSERT(_cachedBlocks.size() == MAX_ENTRIES-1, "Removing entry from cache didn't work");
   }
   _cachedBlocks.push(key, CacheEntry<Key, Value>(std::move(value)));
 }
diff --git a/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlock.h b/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlock.h
index 6eba0afe..0a7dce7c 100644
--- a/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlock.h
+++ b/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlock.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <boost/optional.hpp>
 #include "ciphers/Cipher.h"
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 namespace blockstore {
 namespace encrypted {
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ const void *EncryptedBlock<Cipher>::data() const {
 
 template<class Cipher>
 void EncryptedBlock<Cipher>::write(const void *source, uint64_t offset, uint64_t count) {
-  assert(offset <= size() && offset + count <= size()); //Also check offset < size() because of possible overflow in the addition
+  ASSERT(offset <= size() && offset + count <= size(), "Write outside of valid area"); //Also check offset < size() because of possible overflow in the addition
   std::memcpy((uint8_t*)_plaintextWithHeader.data()+HEADER_LENGTH+offset, source, count);
   _dataChanged = true;
 }
diff --git a/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlockStore.h b/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlockStore.h
index a574a3d7..f3fe7b23 100644
--- a/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlockStore.h
+++ b/implementations/encrypted/EncryptedBlockStore.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ boost::optional<cpputils::unique_ref<Block>> EncryptedBlockStore<Cipher>::load(c
 template<class Cipher>
 void EncryptedBlockStore<Cipher>::remove(cpputils::unique_ref<Block> block) {
   auto encryptedBlock = cpputils::dynamic_pointer_move<EncryptedBlock<Cipher>>(block);
-  assert(encryptedBlock != boost::none);
+  ASSERT(encryptedBlock != boost::none, "Block is not an EncryptedBlock");
   auto baseBlock = (*encryptedBlock)->releaseBlock();
   return _baseBlockStore->remove(std::move(baseBlock));
 }
diff --git a/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlock.cpp b/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlock.cpp
index fcbf152d..77ba5b0f 100644
--- a/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlock.cpp
+++ b/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlock.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "InMemoryBlock.h"
 #include "InMemoryBlockStore.h"
 #include <cstring>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using std::make_shared;
 using std::istream;
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ const void *InMemoryBlock::data() const {
 }
 
 void InMemoryBlock::write(const void *source, uint64_t offset, uint64_t size) {
-  assert(offset <= _data->size() && offset + size <= _data->size()); //Also check offset < _data->size() because of possible overflow in the addition
+  ASSERT(offset <= _data->size() && offset + size <= _data->size(), "Write outside of valid area"); //Also check offset < _data->size() because of possible overflow in the addition
   std::memcpy((uint8_t*)_data->data()+offset, source, size);
 }
 
diff --git a/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlockStore.cpp b/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlockStore.cpp
index 3540d5d4..6a97dd7b 100644
--- a/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlockStore.cpp
+++ b/implementations/inmemory/InMemoryBlockStore.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "InMemoryBlock.h"
 #include "InMemoryBlockStore.h"
 #include <memory>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using std::make_unique;
 using std::string;
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ void InMemoryBlockStore::remove(unique_ref<Block> block) {
   Key key = block->key();
   cpputils::destruct(std::move(block));
   int numRemoved = _blocks.erase(key.ToString());
-  assert(1==numRemoved);
+  ASSERT(1==numRemoved, "Didn't find block to remove");
 }
 
 uint64_t InMemoryBlockStore::numBlocks() const {
diff --git a/implementations/ondisk/OnDiskBlock.cpp b/implementations/ondisk/OnDiskBlock.cpp
index 15db611d..07ad3f77 100644
--- a/implementations/ondisk/OnDiskBlock.cpp
+++ b/implementations/ondisk/OnDiskBlock.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "OnDiskBlock.h"
 #include "OnDiskBlockStore.h"
 #include "../../utils/FileDoesntExistException.h"
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using std::istream;
 using std::ostream;
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ const void *OnDiskBlock::data() const {
 }
 
 void OnDiskBlock::write(const void *source, uint64_t offset, uint64_t size) {
-  assert(offset <= _data.size() && offset + size <= _data.size()); //Also check offset < _data->size() because of possible overflow in the addition
+  ASSERT(offset <= _data.size() && offset + size <= _data.size(), "Write outside of valid area"); //Also check offset < _data->size() because of possible overflow in the addition
   std::memcpy((uint8_t*)_data.data()+offset, source, size);
   _dataChanged = true;
 }
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ optional<unique_ref<OnDiskBlock>> OnDiskBlock::CreateOnDisk(const bf::path &root
 
 void OnDiskBlock::RemoveFromDisk(const bf::path &rootdir, const Key &key) {
   auto filepath = rootdir / key.ToString();
-  assert(bf::is_regular_file(filepath));
+  ASSERT(bf::is_regular_file(filepath), "Block not found on disk");
   bf::remove(filepath);
 }
 
diff --git a/implementations/parallelaccess/ParallelAccessBlockStore.cpp b/implementations/parallelaccess/ParallelAccessBlockStore.cpp
index fece925b..cd951f53 100644
--- a/implementations/parallelaccess/ParallelAccessBlockStore.cpp
+++ b/implementations/parallelaccess/ParallelAccessBlockStore.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "ParallelAccessBlockStoreAdapter.h"
 #include <cassert>
 #include <messmer/cpp-utils/pointer/cast.h>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using std::string;
 using std::mutex;
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ optional<unique_ref<Block>> ParallelAccessBlockStore::load(const Key &key) {
 void ParallelAccessBlockStore::remove(unique_ref<Block> block) {
   Key key = block->key();
   auto block_ref = dynamic_pointer_move<BlockRef>(block);
-  assert(block_ref != none);
+  ASSERT(block_ref != none, "Block is not a BlockRef");
   return _parallelAccessStore.remove(key, std::move(*block_ref));
 }
 
diff --git a/implementations/testfake/FakeBlock.cpp b/implementations/testfake/FakeBlock.cpp
index 354553e8..03fb975b 100644
--- a/implementations/testfake/FakeBlock.cpp
+++ b/implementations/testfake/FakeBlock.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "FakeBlock.h"
 #include "FakeBlockStore.h"
 #include <cstring>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using std::shared_ptr;
 using std::istream;
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ const void *FakeBlock::data() const {
 }
 
 void FakeBlock::write(const void *source, uint64_t offset, uint64_t size) {
-  assert(offset <= _data->size() && offset + size <= _data->size()); //Also check offset < _data->size() because of possible overflow in the addition
+  ASSERT(offset <= _data->size() && offset + size <= _data->size(), "Write outside of valid area"); //Also check offset < _data->size() because of possible overflow in the addition
   std::memcpy((uint8_t*)_data->data()+offset, source, size);
   _dataChanged = true;
 }
diff --git a/implementations/testfake/FakeBlockStore.cpp b/implementations/testfake/FakeBlockStore.cpp
index aa311091..e03f7754 100644
--- a/implementations/testfake/FakeBlockStore.cpp
+++ b/implementations/testfake/FakeBlockStore.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "FakeBlock.h"
 #include "FakeBlockStore.h"
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using std::make_shared;
 using std::string;
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ void FakeBlockStore::remove(unique_ref<Block> block) {
   Key key = block->key();
   cpputils::destruct(std::move(block));
   int numRemoved = _blocks.erase(key.ToString());
-  assert(numRemoved == 1);
+  ASSERT(numRemoved == 1, "Block not found");
 }
 
 unique_ref<Block> FakeBlockStore::makeFakeBlockFromData(const Key &key, const Data &data, bool dirty) {
@@ -55,11 +56,11 @@ void FakeBlockStore::updateData(const Key &key, const Data &data) {
   auto found = _blocks.find(key.ToString());
   if (found == _blocks.end()) {
     auto insertResult = _blocks.emplace(key.ToString(), data.copy());
-    assert(true == insertResult.second);
+    ASSERT(true == insertResult.second, "Inserting didn't work");
     found = insertResult.first;
   }
   Data &stored_data = found->second;
-  assert(data.size() == stored_data.size());
+  ASSERT(data.size() == stored_data.size(), "Wrong data size in block");
   std::memcpy(stored_data.data(), data.data(), data.size());
 }
 
diff --git a/test/implementations/caching/cache/testutils/MinimalValueType.h b/test/implementations/caching/cache/testutils/MinimalValueType.h
index 9e48e43e..60d9fa4c 100644
--- a/test/implementations/caching/cache/testutils/MinimalValueType.h
+++ b/test/implementations/caching/cache/testutils/MinimalValueType.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include <messmer/cpp-utils/macros.h>
 #include <cassert>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 // This is a not-default-constructible non-copyable but moveable Value type
 class MinimalValueType {
@@ -19,13 +20,13 @@ public:
   }
 
   ~MinimalValueType() {
-    assert(!_isDestructed);
+    ASSERT(!_isDestructed, "Object was already destructed before");
     --instances;
     _isDestructed = true;
   }
 
   int value() const {
-    assert(!_isMoved && !_isDestructed);
+    ASSERT(!_isMoved && !_isDestructed, "Object is invalid");
     return _value;
   }
 
diff --git a/utils/BlockStoreUtils.cpp b/utils/BlockStoreUtils.cpp
index 2c358344..a304c91e 100644
--- a/utils/BlockStoreUtils.cpp
+++ b/utils/BlockStoreUtils.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "BlockStoreUtils.h"
 #include <messmer/cpp-utils/data/Data.h>
 #include <cassert>
+#include <messmer/cpp-utils/assert/assert.h>
 
 using cpputils::Data;
 using cpputils::unique_ref;
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ unique_ref<Block> copyToNewBlock(BlockStore *blockStore, const Block &block) {
 }
 
 void copyTo(Block *target, const Block &source) {
-  assert(target->size() == source.size());
+  ASSERT(target->size() == source.size(), "Can't copy block data when blocks have different sizes");
   target->write(source.data(), 0, source.size());
 }