diff --git a/src/zipr.cpp b/src/zipr.cpp
index 39e39e427121e07f96b8a7a9fe7965538db929ad..f7f4ca4e8650d939ab6f42d49f6994a7e96cdb1f 100644
--- a/src/zipr.cpp
+++ b/src/zipr.cpp
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ void ZiprImpl_t::PlaceDollops()
 	cout<<"# ATTRIBUTE Zipr::placement_queue_size="<<dec<<placement_queue.size()<<endl;
 
 	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || count_pins > 3 ) ;
-	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || placement_queue.size() > 15 ) ;
+	assert(getenv("SELF_VALIDATE")==nullptr || placement_queue.size() > 8 ) ;
 
 	/* 
          * used to check if a reference dollop needs to be added to the placement queue