diff --git a/stepmania/src/Attack.cpp b/stepmania/src/Attack.cpp
index 5019b76fe5..2f26ecafa2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Attack.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Attack.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ void Attack::GetAttackBeats( const Song *song, const PlayerState* pPlayerState,
 		GAMESTATE->GetUndisplayedBeats( pPlayerState, fSecsRemaining, fStartBeat, fEndBeat );
 	}
 
+	// loading the course should have caught this.
 	ASSERT_M( fEndBeat >= fStartBeat, ssprintf("%f >= %f", fEndBeat, fStartBeat) );
 }
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Course.cpp b/stepmania/src/Course.cpp
index 34c2f8115a..4f52f718da 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Course.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Course.cpp
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ void Course::LoadFromCRSFile( CString sPath )
 				{
 					if( end != -9999 )
 					{
+						ASSERT_M( end >= attack.fStartSecond, ssprintf("Attack ends before it starts.  end %f, start %f", end, attack.fStartSecond) );
 						attack.fSecsRemaining = end - attack.fStartSecond;
 						end = -9999;
 					}