diff --git a/common/utils/time_manager/time_client.c b/common/utils/time_manager/time_client.c
index 4cecf0e6c6..f587992fa8 100644
--- a/common/utils/time_manager/time_client.c
+++ b/common/utils/time_manager/time_client.c
@@ -55,16 +55,16 @@ static int connect_to_server(time_client_private_t *time_client)
   /* try forever (or exit requested) until we succeed */
   while (1) {
     sock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
-    DevAssert(sock != -1);
+    AssertFatal(sock != -1, "socket() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
     int v = 1;
     r = setsockopt(sock, IPPROTO_TCP, TCP_NODELAY, &v, sizeof(v));
-    DevAssert(r == 0);
+    AssertFatal(r == 0, "setsockopt() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
     /* unblock socket */
     opts = fcntl(sock, F_GETFL);
-    DevAssert(opts >= 0);
+    AssertFatal(opts >= 0, "fcntl() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
     opts |= O_NONBLOCK;
     r = fcntl(sock, F_SETFL, opts);
-    DevAssert(r == 0);
+    AssertFatal(r == 0, "fctnl() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
     if (connect(sock, (struct sockaddr *)&time_client->server_ip, sizeof(time_client->server_ip)) == 0)
       break;
     if (errno == EINPROGRESS) {
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static int connect_to_server(time_client_private_t *time_client)
       fds[1].fd = time_client->exit_fd;
       fds[1].events = POLLIN;
       r = poll(fds, 2, -1);
-      DevAssert(r >= 0);
+      AssertFatal(r >= 0, "poll() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
       /* do we need to exit? */
       if (fds[1].revents) {
         shutdown(sock, SHUT_RDWR);
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ static int connect_to_server(time_client_private_t *time_client)
         int so_error;
         socklen_t so_error_len = sizeof(so_error);
         r = getsockopt(sock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_ERROR, &so_error, &so_error_len);
-        DevAssert(r == 0 && so_error_len == sizeof(so_error));
+        AssertFatal(r == 0 && so_error_len == sizeof(so_error),
+                    "getsockopt() failed (r = %d) or so_error_len (= %d) is not %ld\n",
+                    r, so_error_len, sizeof(so_error));
         if (so_error == 0)
           /* success */
           break;
@@ -98,13 +100,13 @@ static int connect_to_server(time_client_private_t *time_client)
     sock = -1;
     char server_address[256];
     const char *ret = inet_ntop(AF_INET, &time_client->server_ip.sin_addr, server_address, sizeof(server_address));
-    DevAssert(ret != NULL);
+    AssertFatal(ret != NULL, "inet_ntop() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
     LOG_W(UTIL, "time client: connection to %s:%d failed, try again in 1s\n", server_address, time_client->server_port);
     /* sleep 1s (or exit requested) */
     fds[0].fd = time_client->exit_fd;
     fds[0].events = POLLIN;
     r = poll(fds, 1, 1000);
-    DevAssert(r >= 0);
+    AssertFatal(r >= 0, "poll() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
     /* exit requested? */
     if (fds[0].revents) {
       shutdown(sock, SHUT_RDWR);
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ static int connect_to_server(time_client_private_t *time_client)
     /* reblock socket */
     opts &= ~O_NONBLOCK;
     r = fcntl(sock, F_SETFL, opts);
-    DevAssert(r == 0);
+    AssertFatal(r == 0, "fcntl() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
   }
   return sock;
 }
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ static void *time_client_thread(void *tc)
     polls[1].events = POLLIN;
 
     ret = poll(polls, 2, -1);
-    DevAssert(ret >= 0);
+    AssertFatal(ret >= 0, "poll() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
     /* whatever is in revents for exit_fd means exit */
     if (polls[1].revents)
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ reconnect:
     }
 
     /* here we only accept POLLIN */
-    DevAssert(polls[0].revents == POLLIN);
+    AssertFatal(polls[0].revents == POLLIN, "poll() did not return expected POLLIN\n");
 
     /* get the ticks from server */
     uint8_t tick_count;
@@ -196,14 +198,13 @@ time_client_t *new_time_client(const char *server_ip,
   time_client_private_t *tc;
   int ret;
 
-  tc = calloc(1, sizeof(*tc));
-  DevAssert(tc != NULL);
+  tc = calloc_or_fail(1, sizeof(*tc));
 
   tc->exit_fd = eventfd(0, 0);
-  DevAssert(tc->exit_fd != -1);
+  AssertFatal(tc->exit_fd != -1, "eventfd() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
   ret = inet_aton(server_ip, &tc->server_ip.sin_addr);
-  DevAssert(ret != 0);
+  AssertFatal(ret != 0, "inet_aton() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
   tc->server_ip.sin_family = AF_INET;
   tc->server_ip.sin_port = htons(server_port);
   tc->server_port = server_port;
diff --git a/common/utils/time_manager/time_server.c b/common/utils/time_manager/time_server.c
index 83b9e30fd2..a1a95d8ebe 100644
--- a/common/utils/time_manager/time_server.c
+++ b/common/utils/time_manager/time_server.c
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ static void *time_server_thread(void *ts)
   int *socket_fds = NULL;
   int client_count = 0;
 
-  polls = calloc(2, sizeof(struct pollfd));
-  DevAssert(polls != NULL);
+  polls = calloc_or_fail(2, sizeof(struct pollfd));
 
   while (!time_server->exit) {
     /* polls[0] is to receive ticks */
@@ -69,7 +68,7 @@ static void *time_server_thread(void *ts)
     }
 
     int ret = poll(polls, client_count + 2, -1);
-    DevAssert(ret >= 1 || (ret == -1 && errno == EINTR));
+    AssertFatal(ret >= 1 || (ret == -1 && errno == EINTR), "poll() failed\n");
 
     if (time_server->exit)
       break;
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ static void *time_server_thread(void *ts)
     /* check tick */
     if (polls[0].revents) {
       /* do not accept errors */
-      DevAssert(polls[0].revents == POLLIN);
+      AssertFatal(polls[0].revents == POLLIN, "poll() failed\n");
       uint64_t ticks;
       int ret = read(time_server->tick_fd, &ticks, 8);
       DevAssert(ret == 8);
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ static void *time_server_thread(void *ts)
             socket_fds = realloc(socket_fds, sizeof(int) * client_count);
           }
           polls = realloc(polls, sizeof(struct pollfd) * (client_count + 2));
-          DevAssert(polls != NULL);
+          AssertFatal(polls != NULL, "realloc() failed\n");
         }
         ticks -= count;
       }
@@ -116,18 +115,18 @@ static void *time_server_thread(void *ts)
     /* check new client */
     if (polls[1].revents) {
       /* do not accept errors */
-      DevAssert(polls[1].revents == POLLIN);
+      AssertFatal(polls[1].revents == POLLIN, "poll() failed\n");
 
       int new_socket = accept(time_server->server_socket, NULL, NULL);
-      DevAssert(new_socket != -1);
+      AssertFatal(new_socket != -1, "accept() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
       /* add client */
       client_count++;
       socket_fds = realloc(socket_fds, sizeof(int) * client_count);
-      DevAssert(socket_fds != NULL);
+      AssertFatal(socket_fds != NULL, "realloc() failed\n");
       socket_fds[client_count - 1] = new_socket;
       polls = realloc(polls, sizeof(struct pollfd) * (client_count + 2));
-      DevAssert(polls != NULL);
+      AssertFatal(polls != NULL, "realloc() failed\n");
       continue;
     }
 
@@ -151,12 +150,12 @@ static void *time_server_thread(void *ts)
       } else {
         memmove(&socket_fds[i + 1], &socket_fds[i + 2], sizeof(int) * (client_count - i - 1));
         socket_fds = realloc(socket_fds, sizeof(int) * client_count);
-        DevAssert(socket_fds != NULL);
+        AssertFatal(socket_fds != NULL, "realloco() failed\n");
       }
       if (client_count)
         memmove(&polls[i + 2 + 1], &polls[i + 2 + 2], sizeof(struct pollfd) * (client_count - i - 1));
       polls = realloc(polls, sizeof(struct pollfd) * (client_count + 2));
-      DevAssert(polls != NULL);
+      AssertFatal(polls != NULL, "realloc() failed\n");
     }
   }
 
@@ -180,31 +179,30 @@ time_server_t *new_time_server(const char *ip,
   time_server_private_t *ts;
   int ret;
 
-  ts = calloc(1, sizeof(*ts));
-  DevAssert(ts != NULL);
+  ts = calloc_or_fail(1, sizeof(*ts));
 
   ts->server_socket = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
-  DevAssert(ts->server_socket != -1);
+  AssertFatal(ts->server_socket != -1, "socket() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
   int v = 1;
   ret = setsockopt(ts->server_socket, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &v, sizeof(v));
-  DevAssert(ret == 0);
+  AssertFatal(ret == 0, "setsockopt() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
   v = 1;
   ret = setsockopt(ts->server_socket, IPPROTO_TCP, TCP_NODELAY, &v, sizeof(v));
-  DevAssert(ret == 0);
+  AssertFatal(ret == 0, "setsockopt() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
   ts->tick_fd = eventfd(0, 0);
-  DevAssert(ts->tick_fd != -1);
+  AssertFatal(ts->tick_fd != -1, "eventfd() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
   struct sockaddr_in ip_addr;
   ip_addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
   ip_addr.sin_port = htons(port);
   ret = inet_aton(ip, &ip_addr.sin_addr);
-  DevAssert(ret != 0);
+  AssertFatal(ret != 0, "inet_aton() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
   ret = bind(ts->server_socket, (struct sockaddr *)&ip_addr, sizeof(ip_addr));
-  DevAssert(ret == 0);
+  AssertFatal(ret == 0, "bind() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
   ret = listen(ts->server_socket, 10); /* 10: arbitrary value */
-  DevAssert(ret == 0);
+  AssertFatal(ret == 0, "listen() failed: %s\n", strerror(errno));
 
   ts->callback = callback;
   ts->callback_data = callback_data;
diff --git a/common/utils/time_manager/time_source.c b/common/utils/time_manager/time_source.c
index 76a76bc655..02a7ce0fa6 100644
--- a/common/utils/time_manager/time_source.c
+++ b/common/utils/time_manager/time_source.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 #include "common/utils/assertions.h"
 #include "common/utils/system.h"
+#include "common/utils/utils.h"
 
 typedef void (*callback_function_t)(void *callback_data);
 typedef void * callback_data_t;
@@ -190,16 +191,14 @@ time_source_t *new_time_source(time_source_type_t type)
 
   switch (type) {
     case TIME_SOURCE_REALTIME: {
-      time_source_realtime_t *ts = calloc(1, sizeof(*ts));
-      DevAssert(ts != NULL);
+      time_source_realtime_t *ts = calloc_or_fail(1, sizeof(*ts));
       thread_function = time_source_realtime_thread;
       thread_function_name = "time source realtime";
       ret = ts;
       break;
     }
     case TIME_SOURCE_IQ_SAMPLES: {
-      time_source_iq_t *ts = calloc(1, sizeof(*ts));
-      DevAssert(ts != NULL);
+      time_source_iq_t *ts = calloc_or_fail(1, sizeof(*ts));
       thread_function = time_source_iq_samples_thread;
       terminate_function = time_source_iq_samples_terminate;
       thread_function_name = "time source iq samples";