diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/docker/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/docker/default.nix
index adb13a7f457a..4057ec98627a 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/docker/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/docker/default.nix
@@ -1030,11 +1030,12 @@ rec {
       debug ? false,
     }:
     assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (layeringPipeline == null -> maxLayers > 1)
-        "the maxLayers argument of dockerTools.buildLayeredImage function must be greather than 1 (current value: ${toString maxLayers})"
+      (layeringPipeline == null -> maxLayers > 1)
+      || throw "the maxLayers argument of dockerTools.buildLayeredImage function must be greather than 1 (current value: ${toString maxLayers})"
     );
     assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (enableFakechroot -> !stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin) ''
+      (enableFakechroot -> !stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin)
+      || throw ''
         cannot use `enableFakechroot` because `proot` is not portable to Darwin. Workarounds:
               - use `fakeRootCommands` with the restricted `fakeroot` environment
               - cross-compile your packages
@@ -1271,11 +1272,11 @@ rec {
       command ? null,
       run ? null,
     }:
-    assert lib.assertMsg (!(drv.drvAttrs.__structuredAttrs or false))
-      "streamNixShellImage: Does not work with the derivation ${drv.name} because it uses __structuredAttrs";
-    assert lib.assertMsg (
-      command == null || run == null
-    ) "streamNixShellImage: Can't specify both command and run";
+    assert
+      !(drv.drvAttrs.__structuredAttrs or false)
+      || throw "streamNixShellImage: Does not work with the derivation ${drv.name} because it uses __structuredAttrs";
+    assert
+      command == null || run == null || throw "streamNixShellImage: Can't specify both command and run";
     let
 
       # A binary that calls the command to build the derivation