diff --git a/src/home/homectl.c b/src/home/homectl.c
index 55323b44e10..6114699f6d0 100644
--- a/src/home/homectl.c
+++ b/src/home/homectl.c
@@ -1208,6 +1208,8 @@ static int acquire_new_password(
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to acquire password: %m");
 
+                assert(!strv_isempty(first));
+
                 question = mfree(question);
                 if (asprintf(&question, "Please enter new password for user %s (repeat):", user_name) < 0)
                         return log_oom();
diff --git a/src/shared/dissect-image.c b/src/shared/dissect-image.c
index c77f63026ff..515b41bc717 100644
--- a/src/shared/dissect-image.c
+++ b/src/shared/dissect-image.c
@@ -2906,6 +2906,7 @@ int dissected_image_decrypt_interactively(
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to query for passphrase: %m");
 
+                assert(!strv_isempty(z));
                 passphrase = z[0];
         }
 }
diff --git a/src/tty-ask-password-agent/tty-ask-password-agent.c b/src/tty-ask-password-agent/tty-ask-password-agent.c
index 46d2307ad31..00b1554c4f9 100644
--- a/src/tty-ask-password-agent/tty-ask-password-agent.c
+++ b/src/tty-ask-password-agent/tty-ask-password-agent.c
@@ -257,9 +257,7 @@ static int process_one_password_file(const char *filename) {
                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to query password: %m");
                 }
 
-                if (strv_isempty(passwords))
-                        return -ECANCELED;
-
+                assert(!strv_isempty(passwords));
                 r = send_passwords(socket_name, passwords);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to send: %m");