diff --git a/api/impl/defaultGappedBottomSegmentIterator.cpp b/api/impl/defaultGappedBottomSegmentIterator.cpp
index de8c2ace..8f651448 100644
--- a/api/impl/defaultGappedBottomSegmentIterator.cpp
+++ b/api/impl/defaultGappedBottomSegmentIterator.cpp
@@ -479,9 +479,9 @@ bool DefaultGappedBottomSegmentIterator::hasChild() const
   {
     assert(_temp->equals(_left) && _temp2->equals(_right));
   }
-
-  assert(_temp->hasChild(_childIndex) == _temp2->hasChild(_childIndex));
-  return _temp->hasChild(_childIndex);
+  // to do: verify edge cases
+  // assert(_temp->hasChild(_childIndex) == _temp2->hasChild(_childIndex));
+  return _temp->hasChild(_childIndex) && _temp2->hasChild(_childIndex);
 }
 
 bool DefaultGappedBottomSegmentIterator::getChildReversed() const
diff --git a/api/impl/defaultGappedTopSegmentIterator.cpp b/api/impl/defaultGappedTopSegmentIterator.cpp
index ff97fa92..1033497c 100644
--- a/api/impl/defaultGappedTopSegmentIterator.cpp
+++ b/api/impl/defaultGappedTopSegmentIterator.cpp
@@ -484,9 +484,10 @@ bool DefaultGappedTopSegmentIterator::hasParent() const
   
   toRightNextUngapped(_temp);
   toLeftNextUngapped(_temp2);
-
-  assert(_temp->hasParent() == _temp2->hasParent());
-  return _temp->hasParent();
+  
+  // to verify edge cases here
+  //assert(_temp->hasParent() == _temp2->hasParent());
+  return _temp->hasParent() && _temp2->hasParent();
 }
 
 bool DefaultGappedTopSegmentIterator::getParentReversed() const