diff --git a/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h b/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h
index fcbc66bd1..04cf947fe 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/EliminationTree-inl.h
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ typename EliminationTree<FACTOR>::shared_ptr EliminationTree<FACTOR>::Create(
   if(debug)
     trees.back()->print("ETree: ");
 
+  // Check that this is not null
+  assert(trees.back().get());
   return trees.back();
 }
 
diff --git a/gtsam/inference/JunctionTree-inl.h b/gtsam/inference/JunctionTree-inl.h
index 43f58e777..1fc58cbb6 100644
--- a/gtsam/inference/JunctionTree-inl.h
+++ b/gtsam/inference/JunctionTree-inl.h
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ namespace gtsam {
     gttic(JT_symbolic_ET);
     const typename EliminationTree<IndexFactor>::shared_ptr symETree =
         EliminationTree<IndexFactor>::Create(fg, variableIndex);
+    assert(symETree.get());
     gttoc(JT_symbolic_ET);
     gttic(JT_symbolic_eliminate);
     SymbolicBayesNet::shared_ptr sbn = symETree->eliminate(&EliminateSymbolic);
+    assert(sbn.get());
     gttoc(JT_symbolic_eliminate);
     gttic(symbolic_BayesTree);
     SymbolicBayesTree sbt(*sbn);