diff --git a/src/cli.c b/src/cli.c
index 7cda5c0..e8acb4c 100644
--- a/src/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli.c
@@ -427,6 +427,10 @@ static int upload_file(storj_env_t *env, char *bucket_id, const char *file_path)
                                                           progress_cb,
                                                           upload_file_complete);
 
+    if (!state) {
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     sig->data = state;
 
     return state->error_status;
@@ -514,6 +518,9 @@ static int download_file(storj_env_t *env, char *bucket_id,
                                                               file_id, fd, NULL,
                                                               progress_cb,
                                                               download_file_complete);
+    if (!state) {
+        return 1;
+    }
     sig->data = state;
 
     return state->error_status;
diff --git a/test/tests.c b/test/tests.c
index a8fd638..6a0609e 100644
--- a/test/tests.c
+++ b/test/tests.c
@@ -534,10 +534,11 @@ int test_upload()
                                                           NULL,
                                                           check_store_file_progress,
                                                           check_store_file);
-    assert(state->error_status == 0);
+    if (!state || state->error_status != 0) {
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     // run all queued events
-
     if (uv_run(env->loop, UV_RUN_DEFAULT)) {
         return 1;
     }
@@ -580,8 +581,9 @@ int test_upload_cancel()
                                                           NULL,
                                                           check_store_file_progress,
                                                           check_store_file_cancel);
-    assert(state->error_status == 0);
-
+    if (!state || state->error_status != 0) {
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     // process the loop one at a time so that we can do other things while
     // the loop is processing, such as cancel the download
@@ -639,9 +641,11 @@ int test_download()
                                                               check_resolve_file_progress,
                                                               check_resolve_file);
 
-    free(download_file);
+    if (!state || state->error_status != 0) {
+        return 1;
+    }
 
-    assert(state->error_status == 0);
+    free(download_file);
 
     if (uv_run(env->loop, UV_RUN_DEFAULT)) {
         return 1;
@@ -679,7 +683,9 @@ int test_download_cancel()
                                                               check_resolve_file_progress,
                                                               check_resolve_file_cancel);
 
-    assert(state->error_status == 0);
+    if (!state || state->error_status != 0) {
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     // process the loop one at a time so that we can do other things while
     // the loop is processing, such as cancel the download