diff --git a/lldb/source/Interpreter/CommandReturnObject.cpp b/lldb/source/Interpreter/CommandReturnObject.cpp
--- a/lldb/source/Interpreter/CommandReturnObject.cpp
+++ b/lldb/source/Interpreter/CommandReturnObject.cpp
@@ -99,24 +99,18 @@
 
 void CommandReturnObject::AppendError(llvm::StringRef in_string) {
   SetStatus(eReturnStatusFailed);
-  if (in_string.empty())
-    return;
+  assert(in_string.size() && "Expected a non-empty error message");
   error(GetErrorStream()) << in_string.rtrim() << '\n';
 }
 
 void CommandReturnObject::SetError(const Status &error,
                                    const char *fallback_error_cstr) {
-  const char *error_cstr = error.AsCString();
-  if (error_cstr == nullptr)
-    error_cstr = fallback_error_cstr;
-  SetError(error_cstr);
+  assert(error.Fail() && "Expected a failed Status");
+  SetError(error.AsCString(fallback_error_cstr));
 }
 
 void CommandReturnObject::SetError(llvm::StringRef error_str) {
   SetStatus(eReturnStatusFailed);
-  if (error_str.empty())
-    return;
-
   AppendError(error_str);
 }
 
@@ -125,8 +119,7 @@
 
 void CommandReturnObject::AppendRawError(llvm::StringRef in_string) {
   SetStatus(eReturnStatusFailed);
-  if (in_string.empty())
-    return;
+  assert(in_string.size() && "Expected a non-empty error message");
   GetErrorStream() << in_string;
 }