diff --git a/src/controllers/controllerengine.cpp b/src/controllers/controllerengine.cpp
index a44878b113e1..eab1d6ecafff 100644
--- a/src/controllers/controllerengine.cpp
+++ b/src/controllers/controllerengine.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,22 @@
 // (closure compatible version of connectControl)
 #include <QUuid>
 
-const int kDecks = 16;
+namespace {
+constexpr int kDecks = 16;
 
 // Use 1ms for the Alpha-Beta dt. We're assuming the OS actually gives us a 1ms
 // timer.
-const int kScratchTimerMs = 1;
-const double kAlphaBetaDt = kScratchTimerMs / 1000.0;
+constexpr int kScratchTimerMs = 1;
+constexpr double kAlphaBetaDt = kScratchTimerMs / 1000.0;
+
+inline ControlFlags onlyAssertOnControllerDebug() {
+    if (ControllerDebug::enabled()) {
+        return ControlFlag::None;
+    }
+
+    return ControlFlag::AllowMissingOrInvalid;
+}
+} // namespace
 
 ControllerEngine::ControllerEngine(
         Controller* controller, UserSettingsPointer pConfig)
@@ -86,12 +96,16 @@ void ControllerEngine::callFunctionOnObjects(QList<QString> scriptFunctionPrefix
         QScriptValue prefix = global.property(prefixName);
         if (!prefix.isValid() || !prefix.isObject()) {
             qWarning() << "ControllerEngine: No" << prefixName << "object in script";
+            // Throw a debug assertion if controllerDebug is enabled
+            DEBUG_ASSERT(!ControllerDebug::enabled());
             continue;
         }
 
         QScriptValue init = prefix.property(function);
         if (!init.isValid() || !init.isFunction()) {
             qWarning() << "ControllerEngine:" << prefixName << "has no" << function << " method";
+            // Throw a debug assertion if controllerDebug is enabled
+            DEBUG_ASSERT(!ControllerDebug::enabled());
             continue;
         }
         controllerDebug("ControllerEngine: Executing" << prefixName << "." << function);
@@ -443,22 +457,28 @@ bool ControllerEngine::internalExecute(QScriptValue thisObject,
     }
 
     if (functionObject.isError()) {
-        qDebug() << "ControllerEngine::internalExecute:"
-                 << functionObject.toString();
+        qWarning() << "ControllerEngine::internalExecute:"
+                   << functionObject.toString();
+        // Throw a debug assertion if controllerDebug is enabled
+        DEBUG_ASSERT(!ControllerDebug::enabled());
         return false;
     }
 
     // If it's not a function, we're done.
     if (!functionObject.isFunction()) {
-        qDebug() << "ControllerEngine::internalExecute:"
-                 << functionObject.toVariant() << "Not a function";
+        qWarning() << "ControllerEngine::internalExecute:"
+                   << functionObject.toVariant() << "Not a function";
+        // Throw a debug assertion if controllerDebug is enabled
+        DEBUG_ASSERT(!ControllerDebug::enabled());
         return false;
     }
 
     // If it does happen to be a function, call it.
     QScriptValue rc = functionObject.call(thisObject, args);
     if (!rc.isValid()) {
-        qDebug() << "QScriptValue is not a function or ...";
+        qWarning() << "QScriptValue is not a function or ...";
+        // Throw a debug assertion if controllerDebug is enabled
+        DEBUG_ASSERT(!ControllerDebug::enabled());
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -636,6 +656,8 @@ ControlObjectScript* ControllerEngine::getControlObjectScript(const QString& gro
 
     if (!key.isValid()) {
         qWarning() << "ControllerEngine: Requested control with invalid key" << key;
+        // Throw a debug assertion if controllerDebug is enabled
+        DEBUG_ASSERT(!ControllerDebug::enabled());
         return nullptr;
     }
 
@@ -683,7 +705,7 @@ void ControllerEngine::setValue(QString group, QString name, double newValue) {
 
     if (coScript) {
         ControlObject* pControl = ControlObject::getControl(
-                coScript->getKey(), ControlFlag::AllowMissingOrInvalid);
+                coScript->getKey(), onlyAssertOnControllerDebug());
         if (pControl && !m_st.ignore(pControl, coScript->getParameterForValue(newValue))) {
             coScript->slotSet(newValue);
         }
@@ -720,7 +742,7 @@ void ControllerEngine::setParameter(QString group, QString name, double newParam
 
     if (coScript) {
         ControlObject* pControl = ControlObject::getControl(
-                coScript->getKey(), ControlFlag::AllowMissingOrInvalid);
+                coScript->getKey(), onlyAssertOnControllerDebug());
         if (pControl && !m_st.ignore(pControl, newParameter)) {
           coScript->setParameter(newParameter);
         }
@@ -1448,7 +1470,7 @@ bool ControllerEngine::isScratching(int deck) {
     -------- ------------------------------------------------------ */
 void ControllerEngine::softTakeover(QString group, QString name, bool set) {
     ConfigKey key = ConfigKey(group, name);
-    ControlObject* pControl = ControlObject::getControl(key, ControlFlag::AllowMissingOrInvalid);
+    ControlObject* pControl = ControlObject::getControl(key, onlyAssertOnControllerDebug());
     if (!pControl) {
         qWarning() << "Failed to" << (set ? "enable" : "disable")
                    << "softTakeover for invalid control" << key;
@@ -1473,7 +1495,7 @@ void ControllerEngine::softTakeover(QString group, QString name, bool set) {
 void ControllerEngine::softTakeoverIgnoreNextValue(
         QString group, const QString name) {
     ConfigKey key = ConfigKey(group, name);
-    ControlObject* pControl = ControlObject::getControl(key, ControlFlag::AllowMissingOrInvalid);
+    ControlObject* pControl = ControlObject::getControl(key, onlyAssertOnControllerDebug());
     if (!pControl) {
         qWarning() << "Failed to call softTakeoverIgnoreNextValue for invalid control" << key;
         return;