diff --git a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/core_set.h b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/core_set.h
index 0980fef..0c9b22d 100644
--- a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/core_set.h
+++ b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/core_set.h
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ unsigned int embb_core_count_available();
  * The second parameter specifies whether the set is initially empty or contains
  * all cores.
  *
+ * \pre \c core_set is not NULL.
+ *
  * \notthreadsafe
  */
 void embb_core_set_init(
@@ -96,6 +98,9 @@ void embb_core_set_init(
  *
  * If the core is already contained in the set, the operation has no effect.
  *
+ * \pre \c core_set is not NULL and \c core_number is smaller than
+ *      embb_core_count_available().
+ *
  * \notthreadsafe
  * \see embb_core_set_remove()
  */
@@ -107,13 +112,16 @@ void embb_core_set_add(
   );
 
 /**
-* Removes a core from the specified set.
-*
-* If the core is not in the set, the operation has no effect.
-*
-* \notthreadsafe
-* \see embb_core_set_add()
-*/
+ * Removes a core from the specified set.
+ *
+ * If the core is not in the set, the operation has no effect.
+ *
+ * \pre \c core_set is not NULL and \c core_number is smaller than
+ *      embb_core_count_available().
+ *
+ * \notthreadsafe
+ * \see embb_core_set_add()
+ */
 void embb_core_set_remove(
   embb_core_set_t* core_set,
   /**< [IN/OUT] Core set to be manipulated */
@@ -124,8 +132,11 @@ void embb_core_set_remove(
 /**
  * Determines whether a core is contained in the specified set.
  *
- * \return 0 if the core is not contained in the set, otherwise a number greater
- *         than zero.
+ * \pre \c core_set is not NULL and \c core_number is smaller than
+ *      embb_core_count_available().
+ *
+ * \return 0 if the core is not contained in the set, otherwise a number
+ *         greater than zero.
  * \notthreadsafe
  */
 int embb_core_set_contains(
@@ -140,6 +151,8 @@ int embb_core_set_contains(
  *
  * The result is stored in \c set1.
  *
+ * \pre \c set1 and \c set2 are not NULL.
+ *
  * \notthreadsafe
  * \see embb_core_set_union()
  */
@@ -155,6 +168,8 @@ void embb_core_set_intersection(
 *
 * The result is stored in \c set1.
 *
+* \pre \c set1 and \c set2 are not NULL.
+*
 * \notthreadsafe
 * \see embb_core_set_intersection()
 */
@@ -168,6 +183,8 @@ void embb_core_set_union(
 /**
  * Returns the number of cores contained in the specified set.
  *
+ * \pre \c core_set is not NULL.
+ *
  * \notthreadsafe
  * \return Number of cores in \c core_set
  */
diff --git a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/counter.h b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/counter.h
index 05536a2..9a7861e 100644
--- a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/counter.h
+++ b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/counter.h
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ int embb_counter_init(
 /**
  * Returns the current value of \c counter.
  *
+ * \pre \c counter is not NULL.
+ *
  * \return Current value 
  *
  * \waitfree
@@ -79,6 +81,8 @@ unsigned int embb_counter_get(
 /**
  * Increments \c counter and returns the old value.
  *
+ * \pre \c counter is not NULL.
+ *
  * \return Old, non-incremented value
  * \waitfree
  */
@@ -90,6 +94,8 @@ unsigned int embb_counter_increment(
 /**
  * Decrements \c counter and returns the old value.
  *
+ * \pre \c counter is not NULL.
+ *
  * \return Old, non-decremented value
  * \waitfree
  */
@@ -101,8 +107,8 @@ unsigned int embb_counter_decrement(
 /**
  * Destroys an initialized counter.
  *
- * \pre Counter is initialized
- * \post Counter is invalid and cannot be used anymore
+ * \pre \c counter is initialized and not NULL.
+ * \post \c counter is invalid and cannot be used anymore
  * \waitfree
  */
 void embb_counter_destroy(
diff --git a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/memory_allocation.h b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/memory_allocation.h
index c9d797d..fbc0bda 100644
--- a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/memory_allocation.h
+++ b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/memory_allocation.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ extern "C" {
    *
    * Keeps track of freed memory in debug mode.
    *
+   * \pre \c ptr is not NULL.
+   *
    * \threadsafe
    *
    * \see embb_get_bytes_allocated()
@@ -161,6 +163,8 @@ extern "C" {
    *
    * Keeps track of freed memory in debug mode.
    *
+   * \pre \c ptr is not NULL and was allocated by an aligned method.
+   *
    * \threadsafe
    *
    * \see embb_alloc_aligned(), embb_alloc_cache_aligned(),
diff --git a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/mutex.h b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/mutex.h
index dd15c89..5ecfa70 100644
--- a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/mutex.h
+++ b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/mutex.h
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ int embb_mutex_unlock(
 /**
  * Destroys a mutex and frees its resources.
  *
- * \pre \c mutex has been initialized
+ * \pre \c mutex has been initialized and is not NULL.
  * \post \c mutex is uninitialized
  * \notthreadsafe
  * \see embb_mutex_init()
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ int embb_spin_unlock(
 /**
  * Destroys a spinlock and frees its resources.
  *
- * \pre \c spinlock has been initialized
+ * \pre \c spinlock has been initialized and is not NULL.
  * \post \c spinlock is uninitialized
  * \notthreadsafe
  * \see embb_spin_init()
diff --git a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/thread_specific_storage.h b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/thread_specific_storage.h
index 3b70bed..b9165dc 100644
--- a/base_c/include/embb/base/c/thread_specific_storage.h
+++ b/base_c/include/embb/base/c/thread_specific_storage.h
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ void* embb_tss_get(
  *
  * Does not delete the values pointed to.
  *
- * \pre TSS has been created successfully
+ * \pre \c tss has been created successfully and is not NULL.
  * \post All slots are deleted
  * \notthreadsafe
  * \see embb_tss_create()
diff --git a/base_c/src/core_set.c b/base_c/src/core_set.c
index aa142f3..644aeaf 100644
--- a/base_c/src/core_set.c
+++ b/base_c/src/core_set.c
@@ -146,13 +146,18 @@ int embb_core_set_contains(const embb_core_set_t* core_set,
 
 void embb_core_set_intersection(embb_core_set_t* set1,
                                 const embb_core_set_t* set2) {
+  assert(set1 != NULL);
+  assert(set2 != NULL);
   embb_bitset_intersect(&set1->rep, set2->rep);
 }
 
 void embb_core_set_union(embb_core_set_t* set1, const embb_core_set_t* set2) {
+  assert(set1 != NULL);
+  assert(set2 != NULL);
   embb_bitset_union(&set1->rep, set2->rep);
 }
 
 unsigned int embb_core_set_count(const embb_core_set_t* core_set) {
+  assert(core_set != NULL);
   return embb_bitset_count(&core_set->rep);
 }
diff --git a/base_c/src/counter.c b/base_c/src/counter.c
index 5ebbe86..7521214 100644
--- a/base_c/src/counter.c
+++ b/base_c/src/counter.c
@@ -38,23 +38,17 @@ int embb_counter_init(embb_counter_t* counter) {
 }
 
 unsigned int embb_counter_get(embb_counter_t* counter) {
-  if (counter == NULL) {
-    return EMBB_ERROR;
-  }
+  assert(counter != NULL);
   return embb_atomic_load_unsigned_int(&(counter->value));
 }
 
 unsigned int embb_counter_increment(embb_counter_t* counter) {
-  if (counter == NULL) {
-    return EMBB_ERROR;
-  }
+  assert(counter != NULL);
   return embb_atomic_fetch_and_add_unsigned_int(&(counter->value), 1);
 }
 
 unsigned int embb_counter_decrement(embb_counter_t* counter) {
-  if (counter == NULL) {
-    return EMBB_ERROR;
-  }
+  assert(counter != NULL);
   return embb_atomic_fetch_and_add_unsigned_int(&(counter->value),
                                                 (unsigned int)-1);
 }
diff --git a/base_c/src/memory_allocation.c b/base_c/src/memory_allocation.c
index 7c009c0..8adb004 100644
--- a/base_c/src/memory_allocation.c
+++ b/base_c/src/memory_allocation.c
@@ -62,9 +62,7 @@ void* embb_alloc(size_t bytes) {
 }
 
 void embb_free(void * ptr) {
-  if (ptr == NULL) {
-    return;
-  }
+  assert(ptr != NULL);
 
   size_t * alloc_type = (size_t*)ptr - 1;
   size_t * bytes_allocated = (size_t*)ptr - 2;
@@ -136,9 +134,7 @@ void* embb_alloc_aligned(size_t alignment, size_t size) {
 }
 
 void embb_free_aligned(void* ptr) {
-  if (ptr == NULL) {
-    return;
-  }
+  assert(ptr != NULL);
 
   size_t* ptr_conv = (size_t*)ptr;
 
@@ -165,10 +161,7 @@ void * embb_alloc(size_t bytes) {
 }
 
 void embb_free(void * ptr) {
-  if (ptr == NULL) {
-    return;
-  }
-
+  assert(ptr != NULL);
   free(ptr);
 }
 
@@ -201,9 +194,7 @@ void *embb_alloc_aligned(size_t alignment, size_t size) {
 }
 
 void embb_free_aligned(void* ptr) {
-  if (ptr == NULL) {
-    return;
-  }
+  assert(ptr != NULL);
 
 #ifdef EMBB_PLATFORM_COMPILER_MSVC
   _aligned_free(ptr);
diff --git a/base_c/src/mutex.c b/base_c/src/mutex.c
index e1914ff..06851d7 100644
--- a/base_c/src/mutex.c
+++ b/base_c/src/mutex.c
@@ -69,9 +69,7 @@ int embb_mutex_unlock(embb_mutex_t* mutex) {
 }
 
 void embb_mutex_destroy(embb_mutex_t* mutex) {
-  if (NULL == mutex) {
-    return;
-  }
+  assert(NULL != mutex);
   DeleteCriticalSection(mutex);
 }
 
@@ -139,9 +137,7 @@ int embb_mutex_unlock(embb_mutex_t* mutex) {
 }
 
 void embb_mutex_destroy(embb_mutex_t* mutex) {
-  if (NULL == mutex) {
-    return;
-  }
+  assert(NULL != mutex);
   pthread_mutex_destroy(mutex);
 }
 
@@ -210,6 +206,7 @@ int embb_spin_unlock(embb_spinlock_t* spinlock) {
 }
 
 void embb_spin_destroy(embb_spinlock_t* spinlock) {
+  assert(NULL != spinlock);
   // for now, doing nothing here... in future, will call the respective
   // destroy function for atomics...
   EMBB_UNUSED(spinlock);
diff --git a/base_c/src/thread_specific_storage.c b/base_c/src/thread_specific_storage.c
index 1b6e563..3b05b59 100644
--- a/base_c/src/thread_specific_storage.c
+++ b/base_c/src/thread_specific_storage.c
@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ void* embb_tss_get(const embb_tss_t* tss) {
 }
 
 void embb_tss_delete(embb_tss_t* tss) {
-  if (tss == NULL) {
-    return;
-  }
+  assert(tss != NULL);
   embb_free_aligned(tss->values);
 }