diff --git a/base/VulkanModel.hpp b/base/VulkanModel.hpp
index 7b21b7e3..499116f2 100644
--- a/base/VulkanModel.hpp
+++ b/base/VulkanModel.hpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <vector>
-#include <map>
 
 #include "vulkan/vulkan.h"
 
@@ -167,6 +166,10 @@ namespace vks
 			// So they need to be loaded via the asset manager
 
 			AAsset* asset = AAssetManager_open(androidApp->activity->assetManager, filename.c_str(), AASSET_MODE_STREAMING);
+			if (!asset) {
+				LOGE("Could not load mesh from \"%s\"!", filename.c_str());
+				return false;
+			}
 			assert(asset);
 			size_t size = AAsset_getLength(asset);