diff --git a/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c b/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c
index f486775f9..fe4b7c619 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c
+++ b/plugins/dfu/fu-plugin-dfu.c
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ fu_plugin_dfu_device_added_cb (DfuContext *ctx,
 				  platform_id,
 				  dfu_device_get_runtime_vid (device),
 				  dfu_device_get_runtime_pid (device));
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 
 	/* ignore defective runtimes */
 	if (dfu_device_get_mode (device) == DFU_MODE_RUNTIME &&
diff --git a/plugins/ebitdo/fu-plugin-ebitdo.c b/plugins/ebitdo/fu-plugin-ebitdo.c
index 85ebd4e12..85460b7c7 100644
--- a/plugins/ebitdo/fu-plugin-ebitdo.c
+++ b/plugins/ebitdo/fu-plugin-ebitdo.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ fu_plugin_ebitdo_device_added (FuPlugin *plugin,
 	ptask = as_profile_start (profile, "FuPlugin:added{%04x:%04x}",
 				  g_usb_device_get_vid (usb_device),
 				  g_usb_device_get_pid (usb_device));
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 
 	/* get version */
 	platform_id = g_usb_device_get_platform_id (usb_device);
diff --git a/plugins/steelseries/fu-plugin-steelseries.c b/plugins/steelseries/fu-plugin-steelseries.c
index 0110d8134..bd30aea5f 100644
--- a/plugins/steelseries/fu-plugin-steelseries.c
+++ b/plugins/steelseries/fu-plugin-steelseries.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ fu_plugin_steelseries_device_added_cb (GUsbContext *ctx,
 	ptask = as_profile_start (profile, "FuPlugin:added{%04x:%04x}",
 				  g_usb_device_get_vid (usb_device),
 				  g_usb_device_get_pid (usb_device));
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 
 	/* is already in database */
 	platform_id = g_usb_device_get_platform_id (usb_device);
diff --git a/plugins/udev/fu-plugin-udev.c b/plugins/udev/fu-plugin-udev.c
index 0684ae26d..bd079acc4 100644
--- a/plugins/udev/fu-plugin-udev.c
+++ b/plugins/udev/fu-plugin-udev.c
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ fu_plugin_client_add (FuPlugin *plugin, GUdevDevice *device)
 
 	/* get data */
 	ptask = as_profile_start (profile, "FuPlugin:client-add{%s}", guid);
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 	g_debug ("adding udev device: %s", g_udev_device_get_sysfs_path (device));
 
 	/* is already in database */
@@ -246,6 +247,7 @@ fu_plugin_coldplug (FuPlugin *plugin, GError **error)
 	for (guint i = 0; devclass[i] != NULL; i++) {
 		g_autoptr(AsProfileTask) ptask = NULL;
 		ptask = as_profile_start (profile, "FuPlugin:coldplug{%s}", devclass[i]);
+		g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 		devices = g_udev_client_query_by_subsystem (data->gudev_client,
 							    devclass[i]);
 		for (GList *l = devices; l != NULL; l = l->next) {
diff --git a/plugins/unifying/fu-plugin-unifying.c b/plugins/unifying/fu-plugin-unifying.c
index d612d1e7e..a72426aad 100644
--- a/plugins/unifying/fu-plugin-unifying.c
+++ b/plugins/unifying/fu-plugin-unifying.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ fu_plugin_unifying_device_added (FuPlugin *plugin,
 	ptask = as_profile_start (profile, "FuPlugin:added{%04x:%04x}",
 				  g_usb_device_get_vid (usb_device),
 				  g_usb_device_get_pid (usb_device));
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 
 	/* get version */
 	platform_id = g_usb_device_get_platform_id (usb_device);
diff --git a/plugins/usb/fu-plugin-usb.c b/plugins/usb/fu-plugin-usb.c
index 87e1941b1..102fd7d44 100644
--- a/plugins/usb/fu-plugin-usb.c
+++ b/plugins/usb/fu-plugin-usb.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ fu_plugin_usb_device_added (FuPlugin *plugin, GUsbDevice *device)
 	ptask = as_profile_start (profile, "FuPlugin:added{%04x:%04x}",
 				  g_usb_device_get_vid (device),
 				  g_usb_device_get_pid (device));
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 
 	/* is already in database */
 	platform_id = g_usb_device_get_platform_id (device);
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ fu_plugin_usb_device_added (FuPlugin *plugin, GUsbDevice *device)
 	if (idx != 0x00) {
 		g_autoptr(AsProfileTask) ptask2 = NULL;
 		ptask2 = as_profile_start_literal (profile, "FuPlugin:get-string-desc");
+		g_assert (ptask2 != NULL);
 		product = g_usb_device_get_string_descriptor (device, idx, NULL);
 	}
 	if (product == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/fu-main.c b/src/fu-main.c
index 1f3eaa7a4..52d1ebbb0 100644
--- a/src/fu-main.c
+++ b/src/fu-main.c
@@ -2033,6 +2033,7 @@ fu_main_plugins_setup (FuMainPrivate *priv)
 	g_autoptr(AsProfileTask) ptask = NULL;
 
 	ptask = as_profile_start_literal (priv->profile, "FuMain:setup");
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 	for (guint i = 0; i < priv->plugins->len; i++) {
 		g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
 		g_autoptr(AsProfileTask) ptask2 = NULL;
@@ -2040,6 +2041,7 @@ fu_main_plugins_setup (FuMainPrivate *priv)
 		ptask2 = as_profile_start (priv->profile,
 					   "FuMain:setup{%s}",
 					   fu_plugin_get_name (plugin));
+		g_assert (ptask2 != NULL);
 		if (!fu_plugin_runner_startup (plugin, &error)) {
 			fu_plugin_set_enabled (plugin, FALSE);
 			g_warning ("disabling plugin because: %s", error->message);
@@ -2053,6 +2055,7 @@ fu_main_plugins_coldplug (FuMainPrivate *priv)
 	g_autoptr(AsProfileTask) ptask = NULL;
 
 	ptask = as_profile_start_literal (priv->profile, "FuMain:coldplug");
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 	for (guint i = 0; i < priv->plugins->len; i++) {
 		g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
 		g_autoptr(AsProfileTask) ptask2 = NULL;
@@ -2060,6 +2063,7 @@ fu_main_plugins_coldplug (FuMainPrivate *priv)
 		ptask2 = as_profile_start (priv->profile,
 					   "FuMain:coldplug{%s}",
 					   fu_plugin_get_name (plugin));
+		g_assert (ptask2 != NULL);
 		if (!fu_plugin_runner_coldplug (plugin, &error)) {
 			fu_plugin_set_enabled (plugin, FALSE);
 			g_warning ("disabling plugin because: %s", error->message);
diff --git a/src/fu-rom.c b/src/fu-rom.c
index cee95e195..9b2d27d7d 100644
--- a/src/fu-rom.c
+++ b/src/fu-rom.c
@@ -741,6 +741,7 @@ fu_rom_load_file (FuRom *rom, GFile *file, FuRomLoadFlags flags,
 
 	/* open file */
 	ptask = as_profile_start_literal (profile, "FuRom:reading-data");
+	g_assert (ptask != NULL);
 	priv->stream = G_INPUT_STREAM (g_file_read (file, cancellable, &error_local));
 	if (priv->stream == NULL) {
 		g_set_error_literal (error,