diff --git a/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc b/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc
index d784f0a80..cac871516 100644
--- a/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc
+++ b/maxutils/maxbase/src/logger.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include <cassert>
 #include <chrono>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <cstdio>
@@ -24,9 +25,6 @@
 
 #include <maxbase/string.h>
 
-// TODO: move <maxscale/debug.h> into maxbase
-#define ss_dassert(a)
-
 /**
  * Error logging for the logger itself.
  *
@@ -103,7 +101,8 @@ std::unique_ptr<Logger> FileLogger::create(const std::string& filename)
 FileLogger::~FileLogger()
 {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(m_lock);
-    ss_dassert(m_fd != -1);
+    // As mxb_assert() logs to the log-file, it cannot be used here.
+    assert(m_fd != -1);
     close("MariaDB MaxScale is shut down.");
 }