diff --git a/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_connection.js b/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_connection.js
index 7e4aad15..6cc432fb 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_connection.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_connection.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+var assert = require('assert');
 var step = require('step');
 var _ = require('underscore');
 
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ PgConnection.prototype.setDBAuth = function(username, params, callback) {
             self.metadataBackend.getUserId(username, this);
         },
         function(err, user_id) {
-            if (err) throw err;
+            assert.ifError(err);
             user_params.user_id = user_id;
             var dbuser = _.template(auth_user, user_params);
             _.extend(params, {dbuser:dbuser});
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ PgConnection.prototype.setDBAuth = function(username, params, callback) {
             self.metadataBackend.getUserDBPass(username, this);
         },
         function(err, user_password) {
-            if (err) throw err;
+            assert.ifError(err);
             user_params.user_password = user_password;
             if ( auth_pass ) {
                 var dbpass = _.template(auth_pass, user_params);
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ PgConnection.prototype.setDBConn = function(dbowner, params, callback) {
             self.metadataBackend.getUserDBConnectionParams(dbowner, this);
         },
         function extendParams(err, dbParams){
-            if (err) throw err;
+            assert.ifError(err);
             // we don't want null values or overwrite a non public user
             if (params.dbuser != 'publicuser' || !dbParams.dbuser) {
                 delete dbParams.dbuser;
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_query_runner.js b/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_query_runner.js
index ed6c88db..0ba40c3e 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_query_runner.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/backends/pg_query_runner.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+var assert = require('assert');
 var PSQL = require('cartodb-psql');
 var step = require('step');
 
@@ -18,15 +19,11 @@ PgQueryRunner.prototype.run = function(username, query, queryHandler, callback)
             self.pgConnection.setDBAuth(username, params, this);
         },
         function setConn(err) {
-            if (err) {
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
             self.pgConnection.setDBConn(username, params, this);
         },
         function executeQuery(err) {
-            if (err) {
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
             var psql = new PSQL({
                 user: params.dbuser,
                 pass: params.dbpass,
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js b/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js
index d026fa7e..544bdf1f 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/backends/template_maps.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+var assert = require('assert');
 var crypto = require('crypto');
 var step = require('step');
 var _ = require('underscore');
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ o._redisCmd = function(redisFunc, redisArgs, callback) {
       that.redis_pool.acquire(db, this);
     },
     function executeQuery(err, data) {
-      if ( err ) throw err;
+      assert.ifError(err);
       redisClient = data;
       redisArgs.push(this);
       redisClient[redisFunc.toUpperCase()].apply(redisClient, redisArgs);
@@ -214,9 +215,7 @@ o.addTemplate = function(owner, template, callback) {
             self._redisCmd('HLEN', [ userTemplatesKey ], this);
         },
         function installTemplateIfDoesNotExist(err, numberOfTemplates) {
-            if ( err ) {
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
             if ( limit && numberOfTemplates >= limit ) {
                 throw new Error("User '" + owner + "' reached limit on number of templates " +
                     "("+ numberOfTemplates + "/" + limit + ")");
@@ -224,9 +223,7 @@ o.addTemplate = function(owner, template, callback) {
             self._redisCmd('HSETNX', [ userTemplatesKey, templateName, JSON.stringify(template) ], this);
         },
         function validateInstallation(err, wasSet) {
-            if ( err ) {
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
             if ( ! wasSet ) {
                 throw new Error("Template '" + templateName + "' of user '" + owner + "' already exists");
             }
@@ -259,9 +256,7 @@ o.delTemplate = function(owner, tpl_id, callback) {
             self._redisCmd('HDEL', [ self.key_usr_tpl({ owner:owner }), tpl_id ], this);
         },
         function handleDeletion(err, deleted) {
-            if (err) {
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
             if (!deleted) {
                 throw new Error("Template '" + tpl_id + "' of user '" + owner + "' does not exist");
             }
@@ -317,18 +312,14 @@ o.updTemplate = function(owner, tpl_id, template, callback) {
             self._redisCmd('HGET', [ userTemplatesKey, tpl_id ], this);
         },
         function updateTemplate(err, currentTemplate) {
-            if (err) {
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
             if (!currentTemplate) {
                 throw new Error("Template '" + tpl_id + "' of user '" + owner + "' does not exist");
             }
             self._redisCmd('HSET', [ userTemplatesKey, templateName, JSON.stringify(template) ], this);
         },
         function handleTemplateUpdate(err, didSetNewField) {
-            if (err) {
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
             if (didSetNewField) {
                 console.warn('New template created on update operation');
             }
@@ -372,7 +363,7 @@ o.getTemplate = function(owner, tpl_id, callback) {
             self._redisCmd('HGET', [ self.key_usr_tpl({owner:owner}), tpl_id ], this);
         },
         function parseTemplate(err, tpl_val) {
-            if ( err ) throw err;
+            assert.ifError(err);
             return JSON.parse(tpl_val);
         },
         function finish(err, tpl) {