diff --git a/rootston/desktop.c b/rootston/desktop.c
index bf556131..70767f92 100644
--- a/rootston/desktop.c
+++ b/rootston/desktop.c
@@ -202,11 +202,18 @@ struct roots_view *view_at(struct roots_desktop *desktop, double lx, double ly,
 
 struct roots_desktop *desktop_create(struct roots_server *server,
 		struct roots_config *config) {
-	struct roots_desktop *desktop = calloc(1, sizeof(struct roots_desktop));
-	assert(desktop);
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Initializing roots desktop");
 
-	assert(desktop->views = list_create());
+	struct roots_desktop *desktop = calloc(1, sizeof(struct roots_desktop));
+	if (desktop == NULL) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	desktop->views = list_create();
+	if (desktop->views == NULL) {
+		free(desktop);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	wl_list_init(&desktop->outputs);
 
 	desktop->output_add.notify = output_add_notify;
diff --git a/rootston/input.c b/rootston/input.c
index 28af67a6..5dc7d16d 100644
--- a/rootston/input.c
+++ b/rootston/input.c
@@ -74,15 +74,34 @@ struct roots_input *input_create(struct roots_server *server,
 	assert(server->desktop);
 
 	struct roots_input *input = calloc(1, sizeof(struct roots_input));
-	assert(input);
+	if (input == NULL) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	input->config = config;
 	input->server = server;
 
-	assert(input->theme = wlr_xcursor_theme_load("default", 16));
-	assert(input->xcursor = wlr_xcursor_theme_get_cursor(input->theme, "left_ptr"));
+	input->theme = wlr_xcursor_theme_load("default", 16);
+	if (input->theme == NULL) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Cannot load xcursor theme");
+		free(input);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	input->xcursor = wlr_xcursor_theme_get_cursor(input->theme, "left_ptr");
+	if (input->xcursor == NULL) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Cannot load xcursor from theme");
+		wlr_xcursor_theme_destroy(input->theme);
+		free(input);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 
-	assert(input->wl_seat = wlr_seat_create(server->wl_display, "seat0"));
+	input->wl_seat = wlr_seat_create(server->wl_display, "seat0");
+	if (input->wl_seat == NULL) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Cannot create seat");
+		wlr_xcursor_theme_destroy(input->theme);
+		free(input);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	wlr_seat_set_capabilities(input->wl_seat, WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_KEYBOARD
 		| WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_POINTER | WL_SEAT_CAPABILITY_TOUCH);
 
diff --git a/rootston/keyboard.c b/rootston/keyboard.c
index f2075d26..61604da0 100644
--- a/rootston/keyboard.c
+++ b/rootston/keyboard.c
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ static void keyboard_key_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 
 void keyboard_add(struct wlr_input_device *device, struct roots_input *input) {
 	struct roots_keyboard *keyboard = calloc(sizeof(struct roots_keyboard), 1);
+	if (keyboard == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
 	device->data = keyboard;
 	keyboard->device = device;
 	keyboard->input = input;
@@ -141,11 +144,15 @@ void keyboard_add(struct wlr_input_device *device, struct roots_input *input) {
 	rules.layout = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_LAYOUT");
 	rules.variant = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_VARIANT");
 	rules.options = getenv("XKB_DEFAULT_OPTIONS");
-	struct xkb_context *context;
-	assert(context = xkb_context_new(XKB_CONTEXT_NO_FLAGS));
+	struct xkb_context *context = xkb_context_new(XKB_CONTEXT_NO_FLAGS);
+	if (context == NULL) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Cannot create XKB context");
+		return;
+	}
 	wlr_keyboard_set_keymap(device->keyboard, xkb_map_new_from_names(context,
-				&rules, XKB_KEYMAP_COMPILE_NO_FLAGS));
+		&rules, XKB_KEYMAP_COMPILE_NO_FLAGS));
 	xkb_context_unref(context);
+
 	wlr_seat_attach_keyboard(input->wl_seat, device);
 }