diff --git a/include/maxscale/debug.h b/include/maxscale/debug.h
index 284bddb02..b7c4c512b 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/debug.h
+++ b/include/maxscale/debug.h
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
  */
 
 #include <maxscale/cdefs.h>
-#include <assert.h>
 #include <limits.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
@@ -23,61 +23,21 @@
 MXS_BEGIN_DECLS
 
 #if defined(SS_DEBUG)
-# define SS_PROF
-#endif
-
-#if defined(SS_DEBUG) || defined(SS_PROF)
-# define ss_prof(exp) exp
-#else
-# define ss_prof(exp)
-#endif /* SS_DEBUG || SS_PROF */
-
-#if defined(SS_DEBUG) && defined(LOG_ASSERT)
 #include <maxscale/log_manager.h>
 # define ss_dassert(exp) do { if(!(exp)){\
         const char *debug_expr = #exp;  /** The MXS_ERROR marco doesn't seem to like stringification */ \
-        MXS_ERROR("debug assert at %s:%d failed: %s\n", (char*)__FILE__, __LINE__, debug_expr);\
-        mxs_log_flush_sync(); assert(exp);} } while (false)
+        MXS_ERROR("debug assert at %s:%d failed: %s\n", (char*)__FILE__, __LINE__, debug_expr); \
+        fprintf(stderr, "debug assert at %s:%d failed: %s\n", (char*)__FILE__, __LINE__, debug_expr); \
+        mxs_log_flush_sync(); raise(SIGABRT);} } while (false)
 #define ss_info_dassert(exp,info) do { if(!(exp)){\
         const char *debug_expr = #exp; \
-        MXS_ERROR("debug assert at %s:%d failed: %s (%s)\n", (char*)__FILE__, __LINE__, info, debug_expr);\
-        mxs_log_flush_sync();assert(exp);} } while (false)
+        MXS_ERROR("debug assert at %s:%d failed: %s (%s)\n", (char*)__FILE__, __LINE__, info, debug_expr); \
+        fprintf(stderr, "debug assert at %s:%d failed: %s (%s)\n", (char*)__FILE__, __LINE__, info, debug_expr); \
+        mxs_log_flush_sync();raise(SIGABRT);} } while (false)
 # define ss_debug(exp) exp
 # define ss_dfprintf fprintf
 # define ss_dfflush  fflush
 # define ss_dfwrite  fwrite
-#elif defined(SS_DEBUG)
-
-# define ss_debug(exp) exp
-# define ss_dfprintf fprintf
-# define ss_dfflush  fflush
-# define ss_dfwrite  fwrite
-
-# define ss_dassert(exp)                                \
-    {                                                   \
-        if (!(exp)) {                                   \
-            ss_dfprintf(stderr,                         \
-                        "debug assert %s:%d      \n",   \
-                        (char*)__FILE__,                \
-                        __LINE__);                      \
-            ss_dfflush(stderr);                         \
-            assert(exp);                                \
-        }                                               \
-    }
-
-
-# define ss_info_dassert(exp, info)                         \
-    {                                                       \
-        if (!(exp)) {                                       \
-            ss_dfprintf(stderr, "debug assert %s:%d, %s\n", \
-                        (char *)__FILE__,                   \
-                        __LINE__,                           \
-                        info);                              \
-            ss_dfflush(stderr);                             \
-            assert((exp));                                  \
-        }                                                   \
-    }
-
 #else /* SS_DEBUG */
 
 # define ss_debug(exp)