diff --git a/indra/llrender/llglslshader.cpp b/indra/llrender/llglslshader.cpp
index b3f32fdc83..c682b0493a 100644
--- a/indra/llrender/llglslshader.cpp
+++ b/indra/llrender/llglslshader.cpp
@@ -1076,8 +1076,8 @@ void LLGLSLShader::bind()
 
 void LLGLSLShader::bind(U8 variant)
 {
-    llassert(mGLTFVariants.size() == LLGLSLShader::NUM_GLTF_VARIANTS);
-    llassert(variant < LLGLSLShader::NUM_GLTF_VARIANTS);
+    llassert_always(mGLTFVariants.size() == LLGLSLShader::NUM_GLTF_VARIANTS);
+    llassert_always(variant < LLGLSLShader::NUM_GLTF_VARIANTS);
     mGLTFVariants[variant].bind();
 }
 
@@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@ void LLGLSLShader::bind(bool rigged)
 {
     if (rigged)
     {
-        llassert(mRiggedVariant);
+        llassert_always(mRiggedVariant);
         mRiggedVariant->bind();
     }
     else
diff --git a/indra/newview/gltfscenemanager.cpp b/indra/newview/gltfscenemanager.cpp
index 38d1cf66a3..909df52dc4 100644
--- a/indra/newview/gltfscenemanager.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/gltfscenemanager.cpp
@@ -643,6 +643,12 @@ void GLTFSceneManager::render(Asset& asset, U8 variant)
         return;
     }
 
+    if (gGLTFPBRMetallicRoughnessProgram.mGLTFVariants.size() <= variant)
+    {
+        llassert(false); // mGLTFVariants should have been initialized
+        return;
+    }
+
     for (U32 ds = 0; ds < 2; ++ds)
     {
         RenderData& rd = asset.mRenderData[ds];