diff --git a/include/bitstream/BitReader.h b/include/bitstream/BitReader.h
index 159af1c55..0c82bd83e 100644
--- a/include/bitstream/BitReader.h
+++ b/include/bitstream/BitReader.h
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ class BitReader
 
 	inline DWORD Get(DWORD n)
 	{
-		assert(n <= 32);
+		if (n > 32)
+			throw std::invalid_argument("BitReader::Get() n > 32");
 
 		//Debug(">BitReader::Get() n:%d cached:%d\n", n, cached);
 		//BitDump(cache, cached);
@@ -105,7 +106,8 @@ class BitReader
 
 	inline DWORD Peek(DWORD n)
 	{
-		assert(n <= 32);
+		if (n > 32)
+			throw std::invalid_argument("BitReader::Peek() n > 32");
 
 		DWORD ret = 0;