diff --git a/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_core_model.sv b/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_core_model.sv
index c2131c8..1eae2e0 100644
--- a/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_core_model.sv
+++ b/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_core_model.sv
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@
   // The scope that contains the instruction and data memory (for DPI)
   parameter string MemScope = "",
 
-  // Scope of an RTL OTBN implementation (for DPI). If empty, this is a "standalone" model, which
-  // should update DMEM on completion. If not empty, we assume it's the scope for the top-level of a
-  // real implementation running alongside and we check DMEM contents on completion.
+  // Scope of an RTL OTBN implementation (for DPI). This should be give the scope for the top-level
+  // of a real implementation running alongside. We will use it to check DMEM and register file
+  // contents on completion of an operation.
   parameter string DesignScope = "",
 
   // Enable internal secure wipe
@@ -269,34 +269,30 @@
   assign status_o = status_q;
   assign insn_cnt_o = insn_cnt_q;
 
-  // If DesignScope is not empty, we have a design to check. Bind a copy of otbn_rf_snooper_if into
-  // each register file. The otbn_model_check() function will use these to extract memory contents.
-  if (DesignScope != "") begin: g_check_design
-    // TODO: This bind is by module, rather than by instance, because I couldn't get the by-instance
-    // syntax plus upwards name referencing to work with Verilator. Obviously, this won't work with
-    // multiple OTBN instances, so it would be nice to get it right.
-    bind otbn_rf_base_ff otbn_rf_snooper_if #(
-      .Width           (BaseIntgWidth),
-      .Depth           (NGpr),
-      .IntegrityEnabled(1)
-    ) u_snooper (
-      .rf (rf_reg)
-    );
+  // TODO: This bind is by module, rather than by instance, because I couldn't get the by-instance
+  // syntax plus upwards name referencing to work with Verilator. Obviously, this won't work with
+  // multiple OTBN instances, so it would be nice to get it right.
+  bind otbn_rf_base_ff otbn_rf_snooper_if #(
+    .Width           (BaseIntgWidth),
+    .Depth           (NGpr),
+    .IntegrityEnabled(1)
+  ) u_snooper (
+    .rf (rf_reg)
+  );
 
-    bind otbn_rf_bignum_ff otbn_rf_snooper_if #(
-      .Width           (ExtWLEN),
-      .Depth           (NWdr),
-      .IntegrityEnabled(1)
-    ) u_snooper (
-      .rf (rf)
-    );
+  bind otbn_rf_bignum_ff otbn_rf_snooper_if #(
+    .Width           (ExtWLEN),
+    .Depth           (NWdr),
+    .IntegrityEnabled(1)
+  ) u_snooper (
+    .rf (rf)
+  );
 
-    bind otbn_rf_base otbn_stack_snooper_if #(.StackIntgWidth(39), .StackWidth(32), .StackDepth(8))
-      u_call_stack_snooper (
-        .stack_storage(u_call_stack.stack_storage),
-        .stack_wr_ptr_q(u_call_stack.stack_wr_ptr_q)
-      );
-  end
+  bind otbn_rf_base otbn_stack_snooper_if #(.StackIntgWidth(39), .StackWidth(32), .StackDepth(8))
+    u_call_stack_snooper (
+      .stack_storage(u_call_stack.stack_storage),
+      .stack_wr_ptr_q(u_call_stack.stack_wr_ptr_q)
+    );
 
   assign err_o = failed_step | failed_check | check_mismatch_q | failed_lc_escalate;
 
diff --git a/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_model.cc b/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_model.cc
index cd762a5..fcf3e68 100644
--- a/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_model.cc
+++ b/hw/ip/otbn/dv/model/otbn_model.cc
@@ -19,12 +19,8 @@
 #include "sv_utils.h"
 
 extern "C" {
-// These functions are only implemented if DesignScope != "", i.e. if we're
-// running a block-level simulation. Code needs to check at runtime if
-// otbn_rf_peek() and otbn_stack_element_peek() are available before calling
-// them.
-int otbn_rf_peek(int index, svBitVecVal *val) __attribute__((weak));
-int otbn_stack_element_peek(int index, svBitVecVal *val) __attribute__((weak));
+int otbn_rf_peek(int index, svBitVecVal *val);
+int otbn_stack_element_peek(int index, svBitVecVal *val);
 }
 
 #define RUNNING_BIT (1U << 0)
@@ -124,11 +120,6 @@
   // 32/sizeof(svBitVecVal) words on the stack.
   svBitVecVal buf[256 / 8 / sizeof(svBitVecVal)];
 
-  // The implementation of otbn_rf_peek() is only available if DesignScope != ""
-  // (the function is implemented in SystemVerilog, and imported through DPI).
-  // We should not reach the code here if that's the case.
-  assert(otbn_rf_peek);
-
   for (int i = 0; i < 32; ++i) {
     if (!otbn_rf_peek(i, buf)) {
       std::ostringstream oss;
@@ -154,12 +145,6 @@
   // 32/sizeof(svBitVecVal) words on the stack.
   svBitVecVal buf[256 / 8 / sizeof(svBitVecVal)];
 
-  // The implementation of otbn_stack_element_peek() is only available if
-  // DesignScope != "" (the function is implemented in SystemVerilog, and
-  // imported through DPI).  We should not reach the code here if that's the
-  // case.
-  assert(otbn_stack_element_peek);
-
   int i = 0;
 
   while (1) {
@@ -197,7 +182,9 @@
                      const std::string &design_scope, bool enable_secure_wipe)
     : mem_util_(mem_scope),
       design_scope_(design_scope),
-      enable_secure_wipe_(enable_secure_wipe) {}
+      enable_secure_wipe_(enable_secure_wipe) {
+  assert(mem_scope.size() && design_scope.size());
+}
 
 OtbnModel::~OtbnModel() {}
 
@@ -592,8 +579,6 @@
 }
 
 bool OtbnModel::check_regs(ISSWrapper &iss) const {
-  assert(design_scope_.size());
-
   std::string base_scope =
       design_scope_ +
       ".u_otbn_rf_base.gen_rf_base_ff.u_otbn_rf_base_inner.u_snooper";
@@ -653,8 +638,6 @@
 }
 
 bool OtbnModel::check_call_stack(ISSWrapper &iss) const {
-  assert(design_scope_.size());
-
   std::string call_stack_snooper_scope =
       design_scope_ + ".u_otbn_rf_base.u_call_stack_snooper";