diff --git a/python/ray/node.py b/python/ray/node.py
index 878fc0f98..ed4944898 100644
--- a/python/ray/node.py
+++ b/python/ray/node.py
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ class Node(object):
             connect_only (bool): If true, connect to the node without starting
                 new processes.
         """
-        assert not (shutdown_at_exit and connect_only), (
-            "'shutdown_at_exit' and 'connect_only' cannot be both true.")
+        if shutdown_at_exit and connect_only:
+            raise ValueError("'shutdown_at_exit' and 'connect_only' cannot "
+                             "be both true.")
         self.all_processes = {}
 
         ray_params.update_if_absent(
diff --git a/python/ray/services.py b/python/ray/services.py
index ea88daa86..27ae9609b 100644
--- a/python/ray/services.py
+++ b/python/ray/services.py
@@ -501,9 +501,10 @@ def start_redis(node_ip_address,
             started.
     """
 
-    assert len(redirect_files) == 1 + num_redis_shards, (
-        "The number of redirect file pairs should be equal to the number of"
-        "redis shards (including the primary shard) we will start.")
+    if len(redirect_files) != 1 + num_redis_shards:
+        raise ValueError("The number of redirect file pairs should be equal "
+                         "to the number of redis shards (including the "
+                         "primary shard) we will start.")
     if redis_shard_ports is None:
         redis_shard_ports = num_redis_shards * [None]
     elif len(redis_shard_ports) != num_redis_shards:
diff --git a/python/ray/worker.py b/python/ray/worker.py
index 05764444d..1cd99ee57 100644
--- a/python/ray/worker.py
+++ b/python/ray/worker.py
@@ -1872,18 +1872,18 @@ def connect(info,
         if (not worker.redis_client.exists("webui")
                 and info["webui_url"] is not None):
             worker.redis_client.hmset("webui", {"url": info["webui_url"]})
-        is_worker = False
     elif mode == WORKER_MODE:
+        # Register the worker with Redis.
+        worker_dict = {
+            "node_ip_address": worker.node_ip_address,
+            "plasma_store_socket": info["store_socket_name"],
+        }
         # Check the RedirectOutput key in Redis and based on its value redirect
         # worker output and error to their own files.
         # This key is set in services.py when Redis is started.
         redirect_worker_output_val = worker.redis_client.get("RedirectOutput")
         if (redirect_worker_output_val is not None
                 and int(redirect_worker_output_val) == 1):
-            redirect_worker_output = 1
-        else:
-            redirect_worker_output = 0
-        if redirect_worker_output:
             log_stdout_file, log_stderr_file = (
                 _global_node.new_worker_redirected_log_file(worker.worker_id))
             # Redirect stdout/stderr at the file descriptor level. If we simply
@@ -1899,16 +1899,9 @@ def connect(info,
             sys.stdout.flush()
             sys.stderr.flush()
 
-        # Register the worker with Redis.
-        worker_dict = {
-            "node_ip_address": worker.node_ip_address,
-            "plasma_store_socket": info["store_socket_name"],
-        }
-        if redirect_worker_output:
             worker_dict["stdout_file"] = os.path.abspath(log_stdout_file.name)
             worker_dict["stderr_file"] = os.path.abspath(log_stderr_file.name)
         worker.redis_client.hmset(b"Workers:" + worker.worker_id, worker_dict)
-        is_worker = True
     else:
         raise Exception("This code should be unreachable.")
 
@@ -1916,8 +1909,6 @@ def connect(info,
     worker.plasma_client = thread_safe_client(
         plasma.connect(info["store_socket_name"], None, 0, 300))
 
-    raylet_socket = info["raylet_socket_name"]
-
     # If this is a driver, set the current task ID, the task driver ID, and set
     # the task index to 0.
     if mode == SCRIPT_MODE:
@@ -1974,9 +1965,9 @@ def connect(info,
         worker.task_context.current_task_id = driver_task.task_id()
 
     worker.raylet_client = ray._raylet.RayletClient(
-        raylet_socket,
+        info["raylet_socket_name"],
         ClientID(worker.worker_id),
-        is_worker,
+        (mode == WORKER_MODE),
         DriverID(worker.current_task_id.binary()),
     )