diff --git a/src/zipr.cpp b/src/zipr.cpp
index ef48458132d7f015f9516cbf1f90c507aaf6bff7..eb1f3dcd905a28431d5db8bc4b6106883e0ca119 100644
--- a/src/zipr.cpp
+++ b/src/zipr.cpp
@@ -2222,7 +2222,7 @@ void ZiprImpl_t::PlaceDollops()
 	}
 
 	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || count_pins > 5 ) ;
-	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || placement_queue.size() > 30 ) ;
+	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || placement_queue.size() > 20 ) ;
 
 	cout<<"# ATTRIBUTE Zipr::pins_detected="<<dec<<count_pins<<endl;
 	cout<<"# ATTRIBUTE Zipr::placement_queue_size="<<dec<<placement_queue.size()<<endl;