diff --git a/lib/libalpm/alpm.c b/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
index 63b418c1..fd467bfc 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ int SYMEXPORT alpm_release()
 		db = NULL;
 	}
 
-	FREEHANDLE(handle);
+	_alpm_handle_free(handle);
 
 	return(0);
 }
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/handle.c b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
index de80eb8f..cbbdeff5 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/handle.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
@@ -87,11 +87,13 @@ pmhandle_t *_alpm_handle_new()
 	return(handle);
 }
 
-int _alpm_handle_free(pmhandle_t *handle)
+void _alpm_handle_free(pmhandle_t *handle)
 {
 	ALPM_LOG_FUNC;
 
-	ASSERT(handle != NULL, RET_ERR(PM_ERR_HANDLE_NULL, -1));
+	if(handle == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
 
 	/* close logfiles */
 	if(handle->logfd) {
@@ -116,8 +118,6 @@ int _alpm_handle_free(pmhandle_t *handle)
 	FREELIST(handle->ignorepkg);
 	FREELIST(handle->holdpkg);
 	FREE(handle);
-
-	return(0);
 }
 
 alpm_cb_log alpm_option_get_logcb() { return (handle ? handle->logcb : NULL); }
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/handle.h b/lib/libalpm/handle.h
index 35e5eb23..0790ad13 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/handle.h
+++ b/lib/libalpm/handle.h
@@ -69,10 +69,8 @@ typedef struct _pmhandle_t {
 
 extern pmhandle_t *handle;
 
-#define FREEHANDLE(p) do { if (p) { _alpm_handle_free(p); p = NULL; } } while (0)
-
 pmhandle_t *_alpm_handle_new();
-int _alpm_handle_free(pmhandle_t *handle);
+void _alpm_handle_free(pmhandle_t *handle);
 
 #endif /* _ALPM_HANDLE_H */