diff --git a/src/microhttpd/md5_ext.c b/src/microhttpd/md5_ext.c
index edbaa0de..b6d66fed 100644
--- a/src/microhttpd/md5_ext.c
+++ b/src/microhttpd/md5_ext.c
@@ -47,8 +47,11 @@ MHD_MD5_init_one_time (struct Md5CtxExt *ctx)
     gnutls_free (ctx->handle);
     ctx->handle = NULL;
   }
-  else
-    mhd_assert (NULL != ctx->handle); /* If error is not returned, the handle must not be NULL */
+
+  /* If handle is NULL, the error must be set */
+  mhd_assert ((NULL != ctx->handle) || (0 != ctx->ext_error));
+  /* If error is set, the handle must be NULL */
+  mhd_assert ((0 == ctx->ext_error) || (NULL == ctx->handle));
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/microhttpd/sha256_ext.c b/src/microhttpd/sha256_ext.c
index f8cae555..bcbe53a3 100644
--- a/src/microhttpd/sha256_ext.c
+++ b/src/microhttpd/sha256_ext.c
@@ -48,8 +48,11 @@ MHD_SHA256_init_one_time (struct Sha256CtxExt *ctx)
     gnutls_free (ctx->handle);
     ctx->handle = NULL;
   }
-  else
-    mhd_assert (NULL != ctx->handle); /* If error is not returned, the handle must not be NULL */
+
+  /* If handle is NULL, the error must be set */
+  mhd_assert ((NULL != ctx->handle) || (0 != ctx->ext_error));
+  /* If error is set, the handle must be NULL */
+  mhd_assert ((0 == ctx->ext_error) || (NULL == ctx->handle));
 }