diff --git a/cidre/examples/av-asset-reader/main.rs b/cidre/examples/av-asset-reader/main.rs
index 01cba75e..a58033af 100644
--- a/cidre/examples/av-asset-reader/main.rs
+++ b/cidre/examples/av-asset-reader/main.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ async fn main() {
 
     let mut reader = av::AssetReader::with_asset(&asset).unwrap();
     reader.add_output(&output).unwrap();
-    let true = reader.start_reading() else {
+    let true = reader.start_reading().expect("Failed to start reading") else {
         println!("error: {:?}", reader.error());
         println!("status: {:?}", reader.status());
         return;
diff --git a/cidre/examples/av-asset-writer/main.rs b/cidre/examples/av-asset-writer/main.rs
index 48436c0d..1a7bc887 100644
--- a/cidre/examples/av-asset-writer/main.rs
+++ b/cidre/examples/av-asset-writer/main.rs
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ fn writer_and_input(
 
     let mut writer = av::AssetWriter::with_url_and_file_type(dst.as_ns(), file_type).unwrap();
 
-    assert!(reader.start_reading());
+    assert!(reader.start_reading().expect("failed to start reading"));
     let buf = output
         .next_sample_buf()
         .expect("Failed to copy next sample buf")