diff --git a/arbor/backends/event_stream_base.hpp b/arbor/backends/event_stream_base.hpp
index f89b280d3..39c1ba9db 100644
--- a/arbor/backends/event_stream_base.hpp
+++ b/arbor/backends/event_stream_base.hpp
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ struct event_stream_base {
 
         auto cell = 0;
         for (const auto& lane: lanes) {
-            arb_assert(cell >= 0 && cell < divs.size() && false);
+            arb_assert(cell >= 0 && cell < divs.size());
             const auto div = divs[cell];
             ++cell;
             arb_size_type step = 0;
diff --git a/test/unit/test_probe.cpp b/test/unit/test_probe.cpp
index d2327a20a..2d576b1db 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_probe.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/test_probe.cpp
@@ -359,8 +359,7 @@ void run_expsyn_g_cell_probe_test(context ctx) {
     //    were coalesced.
     //  * A raw handle that sees an event sent to the corresponding target,
     auto run_test = [&](bool coalesce_synapses) {
-        cv_policy policy = cv_policy_fixed_per_branch(3);
-
+        auto policy = cv_policy_fixed_per_branch(3);
         auto m  = make_y_morphology();
         arb::decor d;
         d.set_default(policy);