diff --git a/include/libcamera/base/object.h b/include/libcamera/base/object.h
index 933336361155..cb7e0a132be2 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/base/object.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/base/object.h
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ public:
 protected:
 	virtual void message(Message *msg);
 
+	bool assertThreadBound(const char *message);
+
 private:
 	friend class SignalBase;
 	friend class Thread;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/base/event_notifier.cpp b/src/libcamera/base/event_notifier.cpp
index fd93c0878c6f..a519aec38efb 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/base/event_notifier.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/base/event_notifier.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <libcamera/base/event_notifier.h>
 
 #include <libcamera/base/event_dispatcher.h>
+#include <libcamera/base/log.h>
 #include <libcamera/base/message.h>
 #include <libcamera/base/thread.h>
 
@@ -20,6 +21,8 @@
 
 namespace libcamera {
 
+LOG_DECLARE_CATEGORY(Event)
+
 /**
  * \class EventNotifier
  * \brief Notify of activity on a file descriptor
@@ -104,6 +107,9 @@ EventNotifier::~EventNotifier()
  */
 void EventNotifier::setEnabled(bool enable)
 {
+	if (!assertThreadBound("EventNotifier can't be enabled from another thread"))
+		return;
+
 	if (enabled_ == enable)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/base/object.cpp b/src/libcamera/base/object.cpp
index 8af0337f5448..d98a9157773e 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/base/object.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/base/object.cpp
@@ -224,6 +224,35 @@ void Object::message(Message *msg)
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * \fn Object::assertThreadBound()
+ * \brief Check if the caller complies with thread-bound constraints
+ * \param[in] message The message to be printed on error
+ *
+ * This function verifies the calling constraints required by the \threadbound
+ * definition. It shall be called at the beginning of member functions of an
+ * Object subclass that are explicitly marked as thread-bound in their
+ * documentation.
+ *
+ * If the thread-bound constraints are not met, the function prints \a message
+ * as an error message. For debug builds, it additionally causes an assertion
+ * error.
+ *
+ * \todo Verify the thread-bound requirements for functions marked as
+ * thread-bound at the class level.
+ *
+ * \return True if the call is thread-bound compliant, false otherwise
+ */
+bool Object::assertThreadBound(const char *message)
+{
+	if (Thread::current() == thread_)
+		return true;
+
+	LOG(Object, Error) << message;
+	ASSERT(false);
+	return false;
+}
+
 /**
  * \fn R Object::invokeMethod()
  * \brief Invoke a method asynchronously on an Object instance
@@ -275,7 +304,8 @@ void Object::message(Message *msg)
  */
 void Object::moveToThread(Thread *thread)
 {
-	ASSERT(Thread::current() == thread_);
+	if (!assertThreadBound("Object can't be moved from another thread"))
+		return;
 
 	if (thread_ == thread)
 		return;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/base/timer.cpp b/src/libcamera/base/timer.cpp
index 74b060af32ff..24dbf1e892c3 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/base/timer.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/base/timer.cpp
@@ -85,10 +85,8 @@ void Timer::start(std::chrono::milliseconds duration)
  */
 void Timer::start(std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point deadline)
 {
-	if (Thread::current() != thread()) {
-		LOG(Timer, Error) << "Timer " << this << " << can't be started from another thread";
+	if (!assertThreadBound("Timer can't be started from another thread"))
 		return;
-	}
 
 	deadline_ = deadline;
 
@@ -114,13 +112,11 @@ void Timer::start(std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point deadline)
  */
 void Timer::stop()
 {
-	if (!isRunning())
+	if (!assertThreadBound("Timer can't be stopped from another thread"))
 		return;
 
-	if (Thread::current() != thread()) {
-		LOG(Timer, Error) << "Timer " << this << " can't be stopped from another thread";
+	if (!isRunning())
 		return;
-	}
 
 	unregisterTimer();
 }