diff --git a/llvm/include/llvm/ExecutionEngine/Orc/SymbolStringPool.h b/llvm/include/llvm/ExecutionEngine/Orc/SymbolStringPool.h
index c9fadd727e8872..63abb196ba4911 100644
--- a/llvm/include/llvm/ExecutionEngine/Orc/SymbolStringPool.h
+++ b/llvm/include/llvm/ExecutionEngine/Orc/SymbolStringPool.h
@@ -62,8 +62,10 @@ class SymbolStringPtr {
   }
 
   SymbolStringPtr& operator=(const SymbolStringPtr &Other) {
-    if (isRealPoolEntry(S))
+    if (isRealPoolEntry(S)) {
+      assert(S->getValue() && "Releasing SymbolStringPtr with zero ref count");
       --S->getValue();
+    }
     S = Other.S;
     if (isRealPoolEntry(S))
       ++S->getValue();
@@ -75,16 +77,20 @@ class SymbolStringPtr {
   }
 
   SymbolStringPtr& operator=(SymbolStringPtr &&Other) {
-    if (isRealPoolEntry(S))
+    if (isRealPoolEntry(S)) {
+      assert(S->getValue() && "Releasing SymbolStringPtr with zero ref count");
       --S->getValue();
+    }
     S = nullptr;
     std::swap(S, Other.S);
     return *this;
   }
 
   ~SymbolStringPtr() {
-    if (isRealPoolEntry(S))
+    if (isRealPoolEntry(S)) {
+      assert(S->getValue() && "Releasing SymbolStringPtr with zero ref count");
       --S->getValue();
+    }
   }
 
   explicit operator bool() const { return S; }