diff --git a/shared/nm-glib-aux/nm-macros-internal.h b/shared/nm-glib-aux/nm-macros-internal.h
index f56ed8569..0299bc13f 100644
--- a/shared/nm-glib-aux/nm-macros-internal.h
+++ b/shared/nm-glib-aux/nm-macros-internal.h
@@ -1038,31 +1038,11 @@ nm_str_realloc (char *str)
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
-/* glib/C provides the following kind of assertions:
- *   - assert() -- disable with NDEBUG
- *   - g_return_if_fail() -- disable with G_DISABLE_CHECKS
- *   - g_assert() -- disable with G_DISABLE_ASSERT
- * but they are all enabled by default and usually even production builds have
- * these kind of assertions enabled. It also means, that disabling assertions
- * is an untested configuration, and might have bugs.
- *
- * Add our own assertion macro nm_assert(), which is disabled by default and must
- * be explicitly enabled. They are useful for more expensive checks or checks that
- * depend less on runtime conditions (that is, are generally expected to be true). */
-
-#ifndef NM_MORE_ASSERTS
-#define NM_MORE_ASSERTS 0
-#endif
-
-#if NM_MORE_ASSERTS
-#define nm_assert(cond) G_STMT_START { g_assert (cond); } G_STMT_END
-#define nm_assert_se(cond) G_STMT_START { if (G_LIKELY (cond)) { ; } else { g_assert (FALSE && (cond)); } } G_STMT_END
-#define nm_assert_not_reached() G_STMT_START { g_assert_not_reached (); } G_STMT_END
-#else
-#define nm_assert(cond) G_STMT_START { if (FALSE) { if (cond) { } } } G_STMT_END
-#define nm_assert_se(cond) G_STMT_START { if (G_LIKELY (cond)) { ; } } G_STMT_END
-#define nm_assert_not_reached() G_STMT_START { ; } G_STMT_END
-#endif
+/* redefine assertions to use g_assert*() */
+#undef _nm_assert_call
+#undef _nm_assert_call_not_reached
+#define _nm_assert_call(cond)         g_assert(cond)
+#define _nm_assert_call_not_reached() g_assert_not_reached()
 
 /* Usage:
  *
diff --git a/shared/nm-std-aux/nm-std-aux.h b/shared/nm-std-aux/nm-std-aux.h
index 6023cd065..c5ed458df 100644
--- a/shared/nm-std-aux/nm-std-aux.h
+++ b/shared/nm-std-aux/nm-std-aux.h
@@ -3,4 +3,64 @@
 #ifndef __NM_STD_AUX_H__
 #define __NM_STD_AUX_H__
 
+#include <assert.h>
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+#if defined(__GNUC__) && (__GNUC__ > 2) && defined(__OPTIMIZE__)
+#define NM_BOOLEAN_EXPR(expr) \
+	({ \
+		int _g_boolean_var_; \
+		\
+		if (expr) \
+			_g_boolean_var_ = 1; \
+		else  \
+			_g_boolean_var_ = 0; \
+		_g_boolean_var_; \
+	})
+#define NM_LIKELY(expr)   (__builtin_expect (NM_BOOLEAN_EXPR (expr), 1))
+#define NM_UNLIKELY(expr) (__builtin_expect (NM_BOOLEAN_EXPR (expr), 0))
+#else
+#define NM_LIKELY(expr)   NM_BOOLEAN_EXPR (expr)
+#define NM_UNLIKELY(expr) NM_BOOLEAN_EXPR (expr)
+#endif
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+/* glib/C provides the following kind of assertions:
+ *   - assert() -- disable with NDEBUG
+ *   - g_return_if_fail() -- disable with G_DISABLE_CHECKS
+ *   - g_assert() -- disable with G_DISABLE_ASSERT
+ * but they are all enabled by default and usually even production builds have
+ * these kind of assertions enabled. It also means, that disabling assertions
+ * is an untested configuration, and might have bugs.
+ *
+ * Add our own assertion macro nm_assert(), which is disabled by default and must
+ * be explicitly enabled. They are useful for more expensive checks or checks that
+ * depend less on runtime conditions (that is, are generally expected to be true). */
+
+#ifndef NM_MORE_ASSERTS
+#define NM_MORE_ASSERTS 0
+#endif
+
+#ifndef _nm_assert_call
+#define _nm_assert_call(cond)             assert(cond)
+#define _nm_assert_call_not_reached()     assert(0)
+#endif
+
+#if NM_MORE_ASSERTS
+#define nm_assert(cond)         do { _nm_assert_call (cond); } while (0)
+#define nm_assert_se(cond)      do { if (NM_LIKELY (cond)) { ; } else { _nm_assert_call (0 && (cond)); } } while (0)
+#define nm_assert_not_reached() do { _nm_assert_call_not_reached (); } while (0)
+#else
+#define nm_assert(cond)         do { if (0) { if (cond) { } } } while (0)
+#define nm_assert_se(cond)      do { if (NM_LIKELY (cond)) { ; } } while (0)
+#define nm_assert_not_reached() do { ; } while (0)
+#endif
+
+#define NM_STATIC_ASSERT(cond)      static_assert(cond, "")
+#define NM_STATIC_ASSERT_EXPR(cond) ({ NM_STATIC_ASSERT (cond); 1; })
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
 #endif /* __NM_STD_AUX_H__ */