diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index a94718c..0ee1010 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ void data_free(struct data d)
 		m = nm;
 	}
 
-	assert(!d.val || d.asize);
-
 	if (d.val)
 		free(d.val);
 }
@@ -43,9 +41,6 @@ struct data data_grow_for(struct data d, int xlen)
 	struct data nd;
 	int newsize;
 
-	/* we must start with an allocated datum */
-	assert(!d.val || d.asize);
-
 	if (xlen == 0)
 		return d;
 
@@ -56,11 +51,8 @@ struct data data_grow_for(struct data d, int xlen)
 	while ((d.len + xlen) > newsize)
 		newsize *= 2;
 
-	nd.asize = newsize;
 	nd.val = xrealloc(d.val, newsize);
 
-	assert(nd.asize >= (d.len + xlen));
-
 	return nd;
 }
 
diff --git a/dtc.h b/dtc.h
index dbff5e8..d5be1a5 100644
--- a/dtc.h
+++ b/dtc.h
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ struct  marker {
 struct data {
 	int len;
 	char *val;
-	int asize;
 	struct marker *markers;
 };