diff --git a/vpx_dsp/variance.c b/vpx_dsp/variance.c
index b1744047a..421415025 100644
--- a/vpx_dsp/variance.c
+++ b/vpx_dsp/variance.c
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
  *  be found in the AUTHORS file in the root of the source tree.
  */
 
-#include <assert.h>
-
 #include "./vpx_config.h"
 #include "./vpx_dsp_rtcd.h"
 
@@ -226,9 +224,6 @@ MSE(8, 8)
 void vpx_comp_avg_pred_c(uint8_t *comp_pred, const uint8_t *pred, int width,
                          int height, const uint8_t *ref, int ref_stride) {
   int i, j;
-  /* comp_pred and pred must be 16 byte aligned. */
-  assert(((intptr_t)comp_pred & 0xf) == 0);
-  assert(((intptr_t)pred & 0xf) == 0);
 
   for (i = 0; i < height; ++i) {
     for (j = 0; j < width; ++j) {