diff --git a/src/key.rs b/src/key.rs
index 2c18dbf..a5fcfa9 100644
--- a/src/key.rs
+++ b/src/key.rs
@@ -128,12 +128,12 @@ impl PublicKey {
         unsafe {
             // We can assume the return value because it's not possible to construct
             // an invalid `SecretKey` without transmute trickery or something
-            assert_eq!(ffi::secp256k1_ec_pubkey_create(
-                secp.ctx,
-                pk.as_mut_ptr(), &mut len,
-                sk.as_ptr(), compressed), 1);
+            let res = ffi::secp256k1_ec_pubkey_create(secp.ctx,
+                                                      pk.as_mut_ptr(), &mut len,
+                                                      sk.as_ptr(), compressed);
+            debug_assert_eq!(res, 1);
         }
-        assert_eq!(len as usize, pk.len()); 
+        debug_assert_eq!(len as usize, pk.len()); 
         pk
     }
 
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ impl Deserialize for PublicKey {
             fn visit_seq<V>(&mut self, mut v: V) -> Result<PublicKey, V::Error>
                 where V: de::SeqVisitor
             {
-                assert!(constants::UNCOMPRESSED_PUBLIC_KEY_SIZE >= constants::COMPRESSED_PUBLIC_KEY_SIZE);
+                debug_assert!(constants::UNCOMPRESSED_PUBLIC_KEY_SIZE >= constants::COMPRESSED_PUBLIC_KEY_SIZE);
 
                 unsafe {
                     use std::mem;
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 2d3a91d..34f7805 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -56,9 +56,6 @@ pub mod constants;
 pub mod ffi;
 pub mod key;
 
-/// I dunno where else to put this..
-fn assert_type_is_copy<T: Copy>() { }
-
 /// A tag used for recovering the public key from a compact signature
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Debug)]
 pub struct RecoveryId(i32);
@@ -269,7 +266,7 @@ impl<R: Rng> Secp256k1<R> {
                 return Err(Error::SignFailed);
             }
             // This assertation is probably too late :)
-            assert!(len as usize <= constants::MAX_SIGNATURE_SIZE);
+            debug_assert!(len as usize <= constants::MAX_SIGNATURE_SIZE);
         };
         Ok(Signature(len as usize, sig))
     }
@@ -306,7 +303,7 @@ impl<R: Rng> Secp256k1<R> {
                                                     recid) != 1 {
                 return Err(Error::InvalidSignature);
             }
-            assert_eq!(len as usize, pk.len());
+            debug_assert_eq!(len as usize, pk.len());
         };
         Ok(pk)
     }
diff --git a/src/macros.rs b/src/macros.rs
index 0d88f62..59c0853 100644
--- a/src/macros.rs
+++ b/src/macros.rs
@@ -116,8 +116,6 @@ macro_rules! impl_array_newtype {
             fn decode<D: ::serialize::Decoder>(d: &mut D) -> Result<$thing, D::Error> {
                 use serialize::Decodable;
 
-                ::assert_type_is_copy::<$ty>();
-
                 d.read_seq(|d, len| {
                     if len != $len {
                         Err(d.error("Invalid length"))