diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index b8909b3..dad3826 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 INSTALLPATH = /usr/local
 CFLAGS = `pkg-config --cflags glib-2.0`
 LFLAGS =  -lm -lstrophe -lpthread -lssl -lcrypto `pkg-config --libs glib-2.0` 
-DEBFLAGS = -g -Wall
+DEBFLAGS = -g -Wall -DDEBUG
 OFLAGS = -O2
 NAME = xmpp-bot
 
diff --git a/src/core/context.c b/src/core/context.c
index fff2e2a..edcb418 100644
--- a/src/core/context.c
+++ b/src/core/context.c
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 #include <openssl/sha.h> /* For SHA1 */
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
-#include <assert.h> /* debug */
 #include "context.h"
 
 /* static lifetime but only accessible here and through get and set functions below */
@@ -110,19 +109,19 @@
     if(setData) {
         /* Add <data> with base64 data */
         data = xmpp_stanza_new(bctx->ctx);
-        assert(xmpp_stanza_set_name(data, "data") == 0);
-        assert(xmpp_stanza_set_ns(data, "urn:xmpp:avatar:data") == 0);
-        assert(xmpp_stanza_add_child(item, data) == 0);
+        xmpp_stanza_set_name(data, "data");
+        xmpp_stanza_set_ns(data, "urn:xmpp:avatar:data");
+        xmpp_stanza_add_child(item, data);
 
         /* requires an hidden stanza */
         dt = xmpp_stanza_new(bctx->ctx);
         /* get contents of file */
         if(g_file_get_contents(bctx->avatarBase64->str, &avatar, &length, NULL)) {
-            assert(xmpp_stanza_set_text(dt, avatar) == 0);
+            xmpp_stanza_set_text(dt, avatar);
         } else {
             fprintf(stderr, "Unable to read BASE64-encoded avatar.\n");
         }
-        assert(xmpp_stanza_add_child(data, dt) == 0);
+        xmpp_stanza_add_child(data, dt);
     } else {
         struct stat fileInfo;
         char * bytes;
@@ -178,7 +177,11 @@
     xmpp_initialize();
 
     /* create a context */
+#ifdef DEBUG
     newLog = xmpp_get_default_logger(XMPP_LEVEL_DEBUG); /* pass NULL instead to silence output */
+#else
+    newLog = xmpp_get_default_logger(XMPP_LEVEL_INFO); /* pass NULL instead to silence output */
+#endif
     newCtx = xmpp_ctx_new(NULL, newLog);
 
     if (!(newLog && newCtx)) {