diff --git a/pkg/urbit/include/c/defs.h b/pkg/urbit/include/c/defs.h
index 54f28a1b17..29198bc009 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/include/c/defs.h
+++ b/pkg/urbit/include/c/defs.h
@@ -135,22 +135,16 @@
       // defined in vere/io/unix.c.
       c3_t u3_unix_cane(const c3_c* pax_c);
 #     define c3_open(a, ...) ({                                 \
-        c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(a));                             \
         open(a, __VA_ARGS__);})
 #     define c3_opendir(a) ({                                   \
-        c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(a));                             \
         opendir(a);})
 #     define c3_mkdir(a, b) ({                                  \
-        c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(a));                             \
         mkdir(a, b);})
 #     define c3_rmdir(a) ({                                     \
-        c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(a));                             \
         rmdir(a);})
 #     define c3_unlink(a) ({                                    \
-        c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(a));                             \
         unlink(a);})
 #     define c3_fopen(a, b) ({                                  \
-        c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(a));                             \
         fopen(a, b);})
 
 #endif /* ifndef C3_DEFS_H */
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/db/lmdb.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/db/lmdb.c
index 308ba3783e..a6acbba6d5 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/db/lmdb.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/db/lmdb.c
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ u3_lmdb_init(const c3_c* pax_c, size_t siz_i)
   MDB_env* env_u;
   c3_w     ret_w;
 
-  c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(pax_c));
-
   if ( (ret_w = mdb_env_create(&env_u)) ) {
     mdb_logerror(stderr, ret_w, "lmdb: init fail");
     return 0;
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/vere/foil.c b/pkg/urbit/vere/foil.c
index f8a7c406a4..1d844f5d41 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/vere/foil.c
+++ b/pkg/urbit/vere/foil.c
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ u3_foil_folder(const c3_c* pax_c)
   uv_dirent_t den_u;
   c3_i        err_i;
 
-  c3_assert(u3_unix_cane(pax_c));
-
   /*  open directory, synchronously
   */
   {