diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Throwables2.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Throwables2.java
index 31c17c3a3e..1f74cbfe15 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Throwables2.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jclouds/util/Throwables2.java
@@ -121,9 +121,7 @@ public class Throwables2 {
       AuthorizationException aex = getFirstThrowableOfType(e, AuthorizationException.class);
       if (aex != null)
          throw aex;
-      propagate(e);
-      assert false : "exception should have propagated " + e;
-      return null;
+      throw propagate(e);
    }
 
    // Note that ordering matters to propagateIfPossible.
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/lifecycle/config/LifeCycleModuleTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/lifecycle/config/LifeCycleModuleTest.java
index 6feb182a40..fc4bae1e31 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/lifecycle/config/LifeCycleModuleTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/jclouds/lifecycle/config/LifeCycleModuleTest.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import org.jclouds.concurrent.config.ExecutorServiceModule;
 import org.jclouds.lifecycle.Closer;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
+import com.google.common.base.Throwables;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.ExecutionList;
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.ListeningExecutorService;
 import com.google.inject.AbstractModule;
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ public class LifeCycleModuleTest {
                  assert closer.getState() == Closer.State.PROCESSING;
                  closeDone.await();
              } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-                 assert false : e.getMessage();
+                 throw Throwables.propagate(e);
              }
          }
       });
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ public class LifeCycleModuleTest {
             try {
                closer.close();
             } catch (IOException e) {
-               assert false : e.getMessage();
+               throw Throwables.propagate(e);
             }
          }
       });
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ public class LifeCycleModuleTest {
             try {
                closer.close();
             } catch (IOException e) {
-               assert false : e.getMessage();
+               throw Throwables.propagate(e);
             }
          }
       };
diff --git a/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/JschSshClient.java b/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/JschSshClient.java
index d80bc31723..d0410606ac 100644
--- a/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/JschSshClient.java
+++ b/drivers/jsch/src/main/java/org/jclouds/ssh/jsch/JschSshClient.java
@@ -190,8 +190,7 @@ public class JschSshClient implements SshClient {
             }
          }
       }
-      assert false : "should not reach here";
-      return null;
+      throw new AssertionError("should not reach here");
    }
 
    public void connect() {
diff --git a/drivers/sshj/src/main/java/org/jclouds/sshj/SshjSshClient.java b/drivers/sshj/src/main/java/org/jclouds/sshj/SshjSshClient.java
index 9f47fc9fc0..25dbbb84cd 100644
--- a/drivers/sshj/src/main/java/org/jclouds/sshj/SshjSshClient.java
+++ b/drivers/sshj/src/main/java/org/jclouds/sshj/SshjSshClient.java
@@ -216,8 +216,7 @@ public class SshjSshClient implements SshClient {
             }
          }
       }
-      assert false : "should not reach here";
-      return null;
+      throw new AssertionError("should not reach here");
    }
 
    public void connect() {