diff --git a/src/modules/bluetooth/module-bluez5-device.c b/src/modules/bluetooth/module-bluez5-device.c
index 9774be5cc..afbb7e3fa 100644
--- a/src/modules/bluetooth/module-bluez5-device.c
+++ b/src/modules/bluetooth/module-bluez5-device.c
@@ -2513,10 +2513,10 @@ static int bluez5_device_message_handler(const char *object_path, const char *me
     pa_bluetooth_profile_t profile;
     const pa_a2dp_endpoint_conf *endpoint_conf;
     const char *codec_name;
-    struct userdata *u;
+    struct userdata *u = userdata;
     bool is_a2dp_sink;
 
-    pa_assert(u = (struct userdata *)userdata);
+    pa_assert(u);
     pa_assert(message);
     pa_assert(response);
 
diff --git a/src/pulsecore/card.c b/src/pulsecore/card.c
index 23b347b59..4f5997d2c 100644
--- a/src/pulsecore/card.c
+++ b/src/pulsecore/card.c
@@ -467,10 +467,10 @@ int pa_card_suspend(pa_card *c, bool suspend, pa_suspend_cause_t cause) {
 }
 
 static int card_message_handler(const char *object_path, const char *message, const pa_json_object *parameters, char **response, void *userdata) {
-    pa_card *c;
+    pa_card *c = userdata;
     char *message_handler_path;
 
-    pa_assert(c = (pa_card *) userdata);
+    pa_assert(c);
     pa_assert(message);
     pa_assert(response);
 
diff --git a/src/pulsecore/core.c b/src/pulsecore/core.c
index 174d0650e..132f08bbb 100644
--- a/src/pulsecore/core.c
+++ b/src/pulsecore/core.c
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ static char *message_handler_list(pa_core *c) {
 }
 
 static int core_message_handler(const char *object_path, const char *message, const pa_json_object *parameters, char **response, void *userdata) {
-    pa_core *c;
+    pa_core *c = userdata;
 
-    pa_assert(c = (pa_core *) userdata);
+    pa_assert(c);
     pa_assert(message);
     pa_assert(response);
     pa_assert(pa_safe_streq(object_path, "/core"));
diff --git a/src/pulsecore/dbus-util.c b/src/pulsecore/dbus-util.c
index 7d550204e..466a882d8 100644
--- a/src/pulsecore/dbus-util.c
+++ b/src/pulsecore/dbus-util.c
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ pa_proplist *pa_dbus_get_proplist_arg(DBusConnection *c, DBusMessage *msg, DBusM
     pa_assert(msg);
     pa_assert(iter);
 
-    pa_assert(signature = dbus_message_iter_get_signature(iter));
+    pa_assert_se(signature = dbus_message_iter_get_signature(iter));
     pa_assert_se(pa_streq(signature, "a{say}"));
 
     dbus_free(signature);