diff --git a/neutron/common/_deprecate.py b/neutron/common/_deprecate.py
index d155e3454f5..3c9a291497f 100644
--- a/neutron/common/_deprecate.py
+++ b/neutron/common/_deprecate.py
@@ -157,7 +157,9 @@ def _moved_global(old_name, new_module=None, new_name=None):
     :type new_name: str
 
     """
-    assert new_module or new_name  # One or both must be new
+    if not (new_module or new_name):
+        raise AssertionError("'new_module' and 'new_name' "
+                             "must not be both None")
     if isinstance(new_module, _MovedGlobals):
         # The new module has been shimmed, get the original
         new_module = new_module._mg__old_ref
diff --git a/neutron/common/rpc.py b/neutron/common/rpc.py
index 72d19c38bbb..743fd631bfc 100644
--- a/neutron/common/rpc.py
+++ b/neutron/common/rpc.py
@@ -64,9 +64,12 @@ def init(conf, rpc_ext_mods=None):
 
 def cleanup():
     global TRANSPORT, NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT, NOTIFIER
-    assert TRANSPORT is not None
-    assert NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT is not None
-    assert NOTIFIER is not None
+    if TRANSPORT is None:
+        raise AssertionError("'TRANSPORT' must not be None")
+    if NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT is None:
+        raise AssertionError("'NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT' must not be None")
+    if NOTIFIER is None:
+        raise AssertionError("'NOTIFIER' must not be None")
     TRANSPORT.cleanup()
     NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT.cleanup()
     _BackingOffContextWrapper.reset_timeouts()
@@ -192,7 +195,8 @@ class BackingOffClient(oslo_messaging.RPCClient):
 
 
 def get_client(target, version_cap=None, serializer=None):
-    assert TRANSPORT is not None
+    if TRANSPORT is None:
+        raise AssertionError("'TRANSPORT' must not be None")
     serializer = RequestContextSerializer(serializer)
     return BackingOffClient(TRANSPORT,
                             target,
@@ -201,7 +205,8 @@ def get_client(target, version_cap=None, serializer=None):
 
 
 def get_server(target, endpoints, serializer=None):
-    assert TRANSPORT is not None
+    if TRANSPORT is None:
+        raise AssertionError("'TRANSPORT' must not be None")
     serializer = RequestContextSerializer(serializer)
     access_policy = dispatcher.DefaultRPCAccessPolicy
     return oslo_messaging.get_rpc_server(TRANSPORT, target, endpoints,
@@ -210,7 +215,8 @@ def get_server(target, endpoints, serializer=None):
 
 
 def get_notifier(service=None, host=None, publisher_id=None):
-    assert NOTIFIER is not None
+    if NOTIFIER is None:
+        raise AssertionError("'NOTIFIER' must not be None")
     if not publisher_id:
         publisher_id = "%s.%s" % (service, host or cfg.CONF.host)
     return NOTIFIER.prepare(publisher_id=publisher_id)
diff --git a/neutron/db/api.py b/neutron/db/api.py
index ffce6ae2c58..1def914eb25 100644
--- a/neutron/db/api.py
+++ b/neutron/db/api.py
@@ -282,4 +282,7 @@ def load_one_to_manys(session):
                 continue
             if relationship_attr.key not in state.dict:
                 getattr(new_object, relationship_attr.key)
-                assert relationship_attr.key in state.dict
+                if relationship_attr.key not in state.dict:
+                    msg = ("Relationship %s attributes must be loaded in db"
+                           " object %s" % (relationship_attr.key, state.dict))
+                    raise AssertionError(msg)
diff --git a/neutron/pecan_wsgi/controllers/root.py b/neutron/pecan_wsgi/controllers/root.py
index 7c1df62caef..9bfa69c0ae6 100644
--- a/neutron/pecan_wsgi/controllers/root.py
+++ b/neutron/pecan_wsgi/controllers/root.py
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ _CORE_RESOURCES = {net_def.RESOURCE_NAME: net_def.COLLECTION_NAME,
 
 
 def _load_version_info(version_info):
-    assert version_info['id'] not in _VERSION_INFO
+    if version_info['id'] in _VERSION_INFO:
+        raise AssertionError("ID %s must not be in "
+                             "VERSION_INFO" % version_info['id'])
     _VERSION_INFO[version_info['id']] = version_info
 
 
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 5e79f53c13d..84981f6218b 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -165,13 +165,12 @@ import_exceptions = neutron._i18n
 local-check-factory = neutron.hacking.checks.factory
 
 [testenv:bandit]
-# B101: Use of assert detected
 # B104: Possible binding to all interfaces
 # B108: Probable insecure usage of temp file/directory
 # B111: Execute with run_as_root=True identified, possible security issue
 # B311: Standard pseudo-random generators are not suitable for security/cryptographic purpose
 deps = -r{toxinidir}/test-requirements.txt
-commands = bandit -r neutron -x tests -n5 -s B101,B104,B108,B111,B311
+commands = bandit -r neutron -x tests -n5 -s B104,B108,B111,B311
 
 [testenv:bashate]
 commands = bash -c "find {toxinidir}             \