diff --git a/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts b/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts
index c60014c8c4e..97e4d67c21d 100644
--- a/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts
+++ b/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts
@@ -19,11 +19,10 @@ export async function downloadArtifact(
     installationDir: string,
     displayName: string,
 ) {
-    await fs.mkdir(installationDir).catch(err => assert.eq(
-        err?.code,
-        "EEXIST",
+    await fs.mkdir(installationDir).catch(err => assert(
+        err?.code === "EEXIST",
         `Couldn't create directory "${installationDir}" to download ` +
-        `${artifactFileName} artifact: ${err.message}`
+        `${artifactFileName} artifact: ${err?.message}`
     ));
 
     const installationPath = path.join(installationDir, artifactFileName);
diff --git a/editors/code/src/util.ts b/editors/code/src/util.ts
index 5c89bc62c12..f56c6badaf3 100644
--- a/editors/code/src/util.ts
+++ b/editors/code/src/util.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import * as lc from "vscode-languageclient";
 import * as vscode from "vscode";
 import { strict as nativeAssert } from "assert";
 
-export function assert(condition: unknown, explanation: string): asserts condition {
+export function assert(condition: boolean, explanation: string): asserts condition {
     try {
         nativeAssert(condition, explanation);
     } catch (err) {
@@ -11,16 +11,6 @@ export function assert(condition: unknown, explanation: string): asserts conditi
     }
 }
 
-assert.eq = <T>(bibba: unknown, bobba: T, explanation: string): asserts bibba is T => {
-    try {
-        nativeAssert.strictEqual(bibba, bobba, explanation);
-    } catch (err) {
-        log.error(`Equality assertion failed:`, explanation);
-        throw err;
-    }
-};
-
-
 export const log = {
     enabled: true,
     debug(message?: any, ...optionalParams: any[]): void {