diff --git a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/realm.go b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/realm.go
index 39fe8546c3d..3f615772426 100644
--- a/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/realm.go
+++ b/gnovm/pkg/gnolang/realm.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) DidUpdate(po, xo, co Object) {
 			panic("cannot attach a deleted object")
 		}
 		if po != nil && po.GetIsTransient() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot attach to a transient object")
 		}
 		if po != nil && po.GetIsDeleted() {
 			panic("cannot attach to a deleted object")
@@ -186,18 +186,18 @@ func (rlm *Realm) MarkNewReal(oo Object) {
 		if pv, ok := oo.(*PackageValue); ok {
 			// packages should have no owner.
 			if pv.GetOwner() != nil {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot mark owned package as new real")
 			}
 			// packages should have ref-count 1.
 			if pv.GetRefCount() != 1 {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot mark non-singly referenced package as new real")
 			}
 		} else {
 			if oo.GetOwner() == nil {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot mark unowned object as new real")
 			}
 			if !oo.GetOwner().GetIsReal() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot mark object as new real if owner is not real")
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) MarkNewReal(oo Object) {
 func (rlm *Realm) MarkDirty(oo Object) {
 	if debug {
 		if !oo.GetIsReal() && !oo.GetIsNewReal() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot mark unreal object as dirty")
 		}
 	}
 	if oo.GetIsDirty() {
@@ -235,10 +235,10 @@ func (rlm *Realm) MarkDirty(oo Object) {
 func (rlm *Realm) MarkNewDeleted(oo Object) {
 	if debug {
 		if !oo.GetIsNewReal() && !oo.GetIsReal() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot mark unreal object as new deleted")
 		}
 		if oo.GetIsDeleted() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot mark deleted object as new deleted")
 		}
 	}
 	if oo.GetIsNewDeleted() {
@@ -255,13 +255,13 @@ func (rlm *Realm) MarkNewDeleted(oo Object) {
 func (rlm *Realm) MarkNewEscaped(oo Object) {
 	if debug {
 		if !oo.GetIsNewReal() && !oo.GetIsReal() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot mark unreal object as new escaped")
 		}
 		if oo.GetIsDeleted() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot mark deleted object as new escaped")
 		}
 		if oo.GetIsEscaped() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot mark escaped object as new escaped")
 		}
 	}
 	if oo.GetIsNewEscaped() {
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) FinalizeRealmTransaction(readonly bool, store Store) {
 			rlm.created != nil ||
 			rlm.deleted != nil ||
 			rlm.escaped != nil {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("realm should not have created, deleted, or escaped marks before beginning finalization")
 		}
 	}
 	// log realm boundaries in opslog.
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) processNewCreatedMarks(store Store) {
 	for _, oo := range rlm.newCreated {
 		if debug {
 			if oo.GetIsDirty() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("new created mark cannot be dirty")
 			}
 		}
 		if oo.GetRefCount() == 0 {
@@ -376,10 +376,10 @@ func (rlm *Realm) processNewCreatedMarks(store Store) {
 func (rlm *Realm) incRefCreatedDescendants(store Store, oo Object) {
 	if debug {
 		if oo.GetIsDirty() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot increase reference of descendants of dirty objects")
 		}
 		if oo.GetRefCount() <= 0 {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot increase reference of descendants of unreferenced object")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) incRefCreatedDescendants(store Store, oo Object) {
 		if _, ok := child.(*PackageValue); ok {
 			if debug {
 				if child.GetRefCount() < 1 {
-					panic("should not happen")
+					panic("cannot increase reference count of package descendant that is unreferenced")
 				}
 			}
 			// extern package values are skipped.
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) incRefCreatedDescendants(store Store, oo Object) {
 				rlm.MarkNewEscaped(child)
 			}
 		} else {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("child reference count should be greater than zero after increasing")
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) processNewDeletedMarks(store Store) {
 	for _, oo := range rlm.newDeleted {
 		if debug {
 			if oo.GetObjectID().IsZero() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("new deleted mark should have an object ID")
 			}
 		}
 		if oo.GetRefCount() > 0 {
@@ -467,10 +467,10 @@ func (rlm *Realm) processNewDeletedMarks(store Store) {
 func (rlm *Realm) decRefDeletedDescendants(store Store, oo Object) {
 	if debug {
 		if oo.GetObjectID().IsZero() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot decrement references of deleted descendants of object with no object ID")
 		}
 		if oo.GetRefCount() != 0 {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot decrement references of deleted descendants of object with references")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) decRefDeletedDescendants(store Store, oo Object) {
 		} else if rc > 0 {
 			// do nothing
 		} else {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("deleted descendants should not have a reference count of less than zero")
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -520,10 +520,10 @@ func (rlm *Realm) processNewEscapedMarks(store Store) {
 	for _, eo := range rlm.newEscaped {
 		if debug {
 			if !eo.GetIsNewEscaped() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("new escaped mark not marked as new escaped")
 			}
 			if eo.GetIsEscaped() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("new escaped mark already escaped")
 			}
 		}
 		if eo.GetRefCount() <= 1 {
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) processNewEscapedMarks(store Store) {
 					rlm.MarkDirty(po)
 				}
 				if eo.GetObjectID().IsZero() {
-					panic("should not happen")
+					panic("new escaped mark has no object ID")
 				}
 				// escaped has no owner.
 				eo.SetOwner(nil)
@@ -585,16 +585,16 @@ func (rlm *Realm) markDirtyAncestors(store Store) {
 			rc := oo.GetRefCount()
 			if debug {
 				if rc == 0 {
-					panic("should not happen")
+					panic("ancestor should have a non-zero reference count to be marked as dirty")
 				}
 			}
 			if rc > 1 {
 				if debug {
 					if !oo.GetIsEscaped() && !oo.GetIsNewEscaped() {
-						panic("should not happen")
+						panic("ancestor should cannot be escaped or new escaped to be marked as dirty")
 					}
 					if !oo.GetOwnerID().IsZero() {
-						panic("should not happen")
+						panic("ancestor's owner ID cannot be zero to be marked as dirty")
 					}
 				}
 				// object is escaped, so
@@ -667,18 +667,18 @@ func (rlm *Realm) saveUnsavedObjects(store Store) {
 func (rlm *Realm) saveUnsavedObjectRecursively(store Store, oo Object) {
 	if debug {
 		if !oo.GetIsNewReal() && !oo.GetIsDirty() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot save new real or non-dirty objects")
 		}
 		// object id should have been assigned during processNewCreatedMarks.
 		if oo.GetObjectID().IsZero() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot save object with no ID")
 		}
 		// deleted objects should not have gotten here.
 		if false ||
 			oo.GetRefCount() <= 0 ||
 			oo.GetIsNewDeleted() ||
 			oo.GetIsDeleted() {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot save deleted objects")
 		}
 	}
 	// first, save unsaved children.
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ func (rlm *Realm) saveUnsavedObjectRecursively(store Store, oo Object) {
 		// save created object.
 		if debug {
 			if oo.GetIsDirty() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot save dirty new real object")
 			}
 		}
 		rlm.saveObject(store, oo)
@@ -704,13 +704,13 @@ func (rlm *Realm) saveUnsavedObjectRecursively(store Store, oo Object) {
 		// update existing object.
 		if debug {
 			if !oo.GetIsDirty() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot save non-dirty existing object")
 			}
 			if !oo.GetIsReal() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot save unreal existing object")
 			}
 			if oo.GetIsNewReal() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot save new real existing object")
 			}
 		}
 		rlm.saveObject(store, oo)
@@ -767,17 +767,17 @@ func (rlm *Realm) clearMarks() {
 	if debug {
 		for _, oo := range rlm.newDeleted {
 			if oo.GetIsNewDeleted() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot clear marks if new deleted exist")
 			}
 		}
 		for _, oo := range rlm.newCreated {
 			if oo.GetIsNewReal() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot clear marks if new created exist")
 			}
 		}
 		for _, oo := range rlm.newEscaped {
 			if oo.GetIsNewEscaped() {
-				panic("should not happen")
+				panic("cannot clear marks if new escaped exist")
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ func getChildObjects(val Value, more []Value) []Value {
 	case BigdecValue:
 		return more
 	case DataByteValue:
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot get children from data byte objects")
 	case PointerValue:
 		if cv.Base != nil {
 			more = getSelfOrChildObjects(cv.Base, more)
@@ -918,7 +918,7 @@ func getUnsavedChildObjects(val Value) []Object {
 				unsaved = append(unsaved, obj)
 			}
 		} else {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("unsaved child is not an object")
 		}
 	}
 	return unsaved
@@ -967,7 +967,7 @@ func copyFieldsWithRefs(fields []FieldType) []FieldType {
 func copyTypeWithRefs(typ Type) Type {
 	switch ct := typ.(type) {
 	case nil:
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot copy nil types")
 	case PrimitiveType:
 		return ct
 	case *PointerType:
@@ -975,7 +975,7 @@ func copyTypeWithRefs(typ Type) Type {
 			Elt: refOrCopyType(ct.Elt),
 		}
 	case FieldType:
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot copy field types")
 	case *ArrayType:
 		return &ArrayType{
 			Len: ct.Len,
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ func copyTypeWithRefs(typ Type) Type {
 			Elt: refOrCopyType(ct.Elt),
 		}
 	case *NativeType:
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot copy native types")
 	case blockType:
 		return blockType{}
 	case *tupleType:
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ func copyValueWithRefs(parent Object, val Value) Value {
 	case BigdecValue:
 		return cv
 	case DataByteValue:
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot copy data byte value with references")
 	case PointerValue:
 		if cv.Base != nil {
 			return PointerValue{
@@ -1135,7 +1135,7 @@ func copyValueWithRefs(parent Object, val Value) Value {
 		// have NativePkg/Name) can't be persisted, and should not be able
 		// to get here anyway.
 		if cv.nativeBody != nil && cv.NativePkg == "" {
-			panic("should not happen")
+			panic("cannot copy function value with native body when there is no native package")
 		}
 		ft := copyTypeWithRefs(cv.Type)
 		return &FuncValue{
@@ -1228,7 +1228,7 @@ func fillType(store Store, typ Type) Type {
 		ct.Elt = fillType(store, ct.Elt)
 		return ct
 	case FieldType:
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot fill field types")
 	case *ArrayType:
 		ct.Elt = fillType(store, ct.Elt)
 		return ct
@@ -1285,7 +1285,7 @@ func fillType(store Store, typ Type) Type {
 		ct.Elt = fillType(store, ct.Elt)
 		return ct
 	case *NativeType:
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot fill native types")
 	case blockType:
 		return ct // nothing to do
 	case *tupleType:
@@ -1388,10 +1388,10 @@ func fillTypesOfValue(store Store, val Value) Value {
 
 func (rlm *Realm) nextObjectID() ObjectID {
 	if rlm == nil {
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot get next object ID of nil realm")
 	}
 	if rlm.ID.IsZero() {
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("cannot get next object ID of realm without an ID")
 	}
 	rlm.Time++
 	nxtid := ObjectID{
@@ -1452,7 +1452,7 @@ func toRefValue(parent Object, val Value) RefValue {
 		} else if oo.GetIsEscaped() {
 			if debug {
 				if !oo.GetOwnerID().IsZero() {
-					panic("should not happen")
+					panic("cannot convert escaped object to ref value without an owner ID")
 				}
 			}
 			return RefValue{
@@ -1463,10 +1463,10 @@ func toRefValue(parent Object, val Value) RefValue {
 		} else {
 			if debug {
 				if oo.GetRefCount() > 1 {
-					panic("should not happen")
+					panic("unexpected references when converting to ref value")
 				}
 				if oo.GetHash().IsZero() {
-					panic("should not happen")
+					panic("hash missing when converting to ref value")
 				}
 			}
 			return RefValue{
@@ -1475,7 +1475,7 @@ func toRefValue(parent Object, val Value) RefValue {
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
-		panic("should not happen")
+		panic("unexpected error converting to ref value")
 	}
 }