diff --git a/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/inc/vpe_assert.h b/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/inc/vpe_assert.h
index df67d3ce6bd..67e29e98238 100644
--- a/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/inc/vpe_assert.h
+++ b/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/inc/vpe_assert.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <stdlib.h> // for exit()
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 
@@ -43,8 +44,10 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #ifdef _DEBUG
 #define VPE_ASSERT(_expr) assert(_expr)
+#define VPE_EXIT(_expr)   exit(_expr)
 #else
 #define VPE_ASSERT(_expr) ((void)0)
+#define VPE_EXIT(_expr)   ((void)0)
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/vpelib.c b/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/vpelib.c
index 22de4f89c0a..5532d415050 100644
--- a/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/vpelib.c
+++ b/src/amd/vpelib/src/core/vpelib.c
@@ -663,8 +663,10 @@ enum vpe_status vpe_check_support(
         status = vpe_validate_geometric_scaling_support(param);
     }
 
-    if (vpe_priv->init.debug.assert_when_not_support)
-        VPE_ASSERT(status == VPE_STATUS_OK);
+    if (vpe_priv->init.debug.assert_when_not_support && status != VPE_STATUS_OK) {
+        vpe_log("vpe_check_support failed with status %d\n", (int)status);
+        VPE_EXIT(1);
+    }
 
     vpe_event(VPE_EVENT_CHECK_SUPPORT, vpe_priv->num_streams, param->target_rect.width,
         param->target_rect.height, status);
@@ -900,8 +902,10 @@ enum vpe_status vpe_build_commands(
 
     vpe_priv->ops_support = false;
 
-    if (vpe_priv->init.debug.assert_when_not_support)
-        VPE_ASSERT(status == VPE_STATUS_OK);
+    if (vpe_priv->init.debug.assert_when_not_support && status != VPE_STATUS_OK) {
+        vpe_log("vpe_check_support failed with status %d\n", (int)status);
+        VPE_EXIT(1);
+    }
 
     return status;
 }