diff --git a/src/zipr.cpp b/src/zipr.cpp
index b652248940728be9665407eaa66fbc978808d5b4..ef48458132d7f015f9516cbf1f90c507aaf6bff7 100644
--- a/src/zipr.cpp
+++ b/src/zipr.cpp
@@ -2221,7 +2221,7 @@ void ZiprImpl_t::PlaceDollops()
 		count_pins++;
 	}
 
-	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || count_pins > 10 ) ;
+	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || count_pins > 5 ) ;
 	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || placement_queue.size() > 30 ) ;
 
 	cout<<"# ATTRIBUTE Zipr::pins_detected="<<dec<<count_pins<<endl;