diff --git a/lib/connect.c b/lib/connect.c
index f41403c316..07e334ff2a 100644
--- a/lib/connect.c
+++ b/lib/connect.c
@@ -1297,8 +1297,6 @@ connect_sub_chain:
   if(ctx->state < CF_SETUP_CNNCT_SOCKS && cf->conn->bits.socksproxy) {
     /* Where do we need the SOCKS to connect to? */
     if(cf->conn->bits.httpproxy) {
-      DEBUGASSERT(cf->conn->http_proxy.host.name);
-      DEBUGASSERT(cf->conn->http_proxy.port > 0);
       result = Curl_cf_socks_proxy_insert_after(
         cf, data, cf->conn->socks_proxy.proxytype, "HTTP proxy",
         cf->conn->http_proxy.host.name, (int)cf->conn->http_proxy.port,
@@ -1315,8 +1313,6 @@ connect_sub_chain:
         cf->conn->bits.conn_to_port ? cf->conn->conn_to_port :
         cf->conn->remote_port;
 
-      DEBUGASSERT(sx_hostname);
-      DEBUGASSERT(sx_remote_port > 0);
       result = Curl_cf_socks_proxy_insert_after(
         cf, data, cf->conn->socks_proxy.proxytype, NULL,
         sx_hostname, sx_remote_port,
diff --git a/lib/socks.c b/lib/socks.c
index 092f9341bf..c1e1f8380f 100644
--- a/lib/socks.c
+++ b/lib/socks.c
@@ -1216,6 +1216,9 @@ CURLcode Curl_cf_socks_proxy_insert_after(struct Curl_cfilter *cf_at,
   struct socks_state *sx;
   CURLcode result;
 
+  if(!remote_host)
+    return CURLE_BAD_FUNCTION_ARGUMENT;
+
   (void)data;
   sx = calloc(1, sizeof(*sx));
   if(!sx)
@@ -1228,8 +1231,6 @@ CURLcode Curl_cf_socks_proxy_insert_after(struct Curl_cfilter *cf_at,
     sx->remote_type = remote_type;
     sx->hostname = remote_host;
     sx->remote_port = remote_port;
-    DEBUGASSERT(sx->hostname);
-    DEBUGASSERT(sx->remote_port > 0);
     sx->proxy_user = proxy_user;
     sx->proxy_password = proxy_password;
     sx = NULL;