diff --git a/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_trywait.c b/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_trywait.c
index 87e3fb8d55a..4cd4b1c59c2 100644
--- a/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_trywait.c
+++ b/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_trywait.c
@@ -106,12 +106,13 @@ int sem_trywait(FAR sem_t *sem)
 
 int nxsem_trywait(FAR sem_t *sem)
 {
+  DEBUGASSERT(sem != NULL);
+
   /* This API should not be called from the idleloop or interrupt */
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_BUILD_FLAT) || defined(__KERNEL__)
-  DEBUGASSERT(sem != NULL);
-  DEBUGASSERT(!up_interrupt_context());
-  DEBUGASSERT(!OSINIT_IDLELOOP() || !sched_idletask());
+  DEBUGASSERT(!OSINIT_IDLELOOP() || !sched_idletask() ||
+              up_interrupt_context());
 #endif
 
   /* We don't do atomic fast path in case of LIBC_ARCH_ATOMIC because that
diff --git a/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_wait.c b/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_wait.c
index 0c56db9d962..77e03377d61 100644
--- a/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_wait.c
+++ b/libs/libc/semaphore/sem_wait.c
@@ -134,12 +134,13 @@ errout_with_cancelpt:
 
 int nxsem_wait(FAR sem_t *sem)
 {
+  DEBUGASSERT(sem != NULL);
+
   /* This API should not be called from the idleloop or interrupt */
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_BUILD_FLAT) || defined(__KERNEL__)
-  DEBUGASSERT(sem != NULL);
-  DEBUGASSERT(!up_interrupt_context());
-  DEBUGASSERT(!OSINIT_IDLELOOP() || !sched_idletask());
+  DEBUGASSERT(!OSINIT_IDLELOOP() || !sched_idletask() ||
+              up_interrupt_context());
 #endif
 
   /* We don't do atomic fast path in case of LIBC_ARCH_ATOMIC because that