diff --git a/backends/arm/operators/op_permute.py b/backends/arm/operators/op_permute.py
index b78ee94b774..2b345cb5118 100644
--- a/backends/arm/operators/op_permute.py
+++ b/backends/arm/operators/op_permute.py
@@ -46,24 +46,26 @@ def permutation_matrix_to_vector(permutation_matrix: torch.Tensor) -> list[int]:
     (1,0,2)
     """
     N = len(permutation_matrix)
-    assert N == len(
-        permutation_matrix[0]
-    ), f"A permutation matrix must be square, got shape {permutation_matrix.shape}"
+    if N != len(permutation_matrix[0]):
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"A permutation matrix must be square, got shape {permutation_matrix.shape}"
+        )
 
     p = [0] * N
     for row_index, row in enumerate(permutation_matrix):
         saw_one = False
         for col_index, value in enumerate(row):
             if value == 1:
-                assert (
-                    not saw_one
-                ), f"A permutation matrix can only have one 1 per row, got row {row}."
+                if saw_one:
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        f"A permutation matrix can only have one 1 per row, got {row=}"
+                    )
                 p[row_index] = col_index
                 saw_one = True
-            else:
-                assert (
-                    value == 0
-                ), f"A permutation matrix only contains 1's and 0's, got value {value}."
+            elif value != 0:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"A permutation matrix only contains 1's and 0's, got {value=}"
+                )
     return p