diff --git a/libavcodec/dolby_e_parse.c b/libavcodec/dolby_e_parse.c
index ffedcd99a4..fc20eae5b4 100644
--- a/libavcodec/dolby_e_parse.c
+++ b/libavcodec/dolby_e_parse.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
  */
 
+#include "libavutil/avassert.h"
 #include "get_bits.h"
 #include "put_bits.h"
 #include "dolby_e.h"
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ int ff_dolby_e_convert_input(DBEContext *s, int nb_words, int key)
             AV_WB24(dst, AV_RB24(src) ^ key);
         break;
     default:
-        av_assert0(0);
+        av_unreachable("ff_dolby_e_parse_header() only sets 16, 20, 24 and errors out otherwise");
     }
 
     return init_get_bits(&s->gb, s->buffer, nb_words * s->word_bits);