diff --git a/compiler/lib/src/main/scala/codegen/CppWriter/ComponentCppWriter/ComponentStateMachines.scala b/compiler/lib/src/main/scala/codegen/CppWriter/ComponentCppWriter/ComponentStateMachines.scala
index afbb5190e..d49304f32 100644
--- a/compiler/lib/src/main/scala/codegen/CppWriter/ComponentCppWriter/ComponentStateMachines.scala
+++ b/compiler/lib/src/main/scala/codegen/CppWriter/ComponentCppWriter/ComponentStateMachines.scala
@@ -63,16 +63,19 @@ case class ComponentStateMachines(
       Line.blank ::
       List.concat(
         lines(
-          s"""|// Deserialize the state machine ID
+          s"""|// Deserialize the state machine ID to an FwEnumStoreType
               |FwEnumStoreType enumStoreSmId = 0;
               |Fw::SerializeStatus deserStatus = msg.deserialize(enumStoreSmId);
               |FW_ASSERT(
               |  deserStatus == Fw::FW_SERIALIZE_OK,
               |  static_cast<FwAssertArgType>(deserStatus)
               |);
+              |// Cast it to the correct type
               |SmId stateMachineId = static_cast<SmId>(enumStoreSmId);
               |
-              |// Deserialize the state machine signal
+              |// Deserialize the state machine signal to an FwEnumStoreType.
+              |// This value will be cast to the correct type in the
+              |// switch statement that calls the state machine update function.
               |FwEnumStoreType enumStoreSmSignal = 0;
               |deserStatus = msg.deserialize(enumStoreSmSignal);
               |FW_ASSERT(
@@ -217,8 +220,7 @@ case class ComponentStateMachines(
         }),
         Line.blank :: lines(
           s"""|default:
-              |  FW_ASSERT(0, static_cast<FwAssertArgType>(stateMachineId));
-              |  break;"""
+              |  return MSG_DISPATCH_ERROR;"""
         )
       )
     )
diff --git a/compiler/tools/fpp-to-cpp/test/component/base/ActiveStateMachinesComponentAc.ref.cpp b/compiler/tools/fpp-to-cpp/test/component/base/ActiveStateMachinesComponentAc.ref.cpp
index fe599cac0..be092675a 100644
--- a/compiler/tools/fpp-to-cpp/test/component/base/ActiveStateMachinesComponentAc.ref.cpp
+++ b/compiler/tools/fpp-to-cpp/test/component/base/ActiveStateMachinesComponentAc.ref.cpp
@@ -490,16 +490,19 @@ namespace M {
       // Handle state machine signals
       case STATEMACHINE_SENDSIGNALS: {
 
-        // Deserialize the state machine ID
+        // Deserialize the state machine ID to an FwEnumStoreType
         FwEnumStoreType enumStoreSmId = 0;
         Fw::SerializeStatus deserStatus = msg.deserialize(enumStoreSmId);
         FW_ASSERT(
           deserStatus == Fw::FW_SERIALIZE_OK,
           static_cast<FwAssertArgType>(deserStatus)
         );
+        // Cast it to the correct type
         SmId stateMachineId = static_cast<SmId>(enumStoreSmId);
 
-        // Deserialize the state machine signal
+        // Deserialize the state machine signal to an FwEnumStoreType.
+        // This value will be cast to the correct type in the
+        // switch statement that calls the state machine update function.
         FwEnumStoreType enumStoreSmSignal = 0;
         deserStatus = msg.deserialize(enumStoreSmSignal);
         FW_ASSERT(
@@ -568,8 +571,7 @@ namespace M {
           }
 
           default:
-            FW_ASSERT(0, static_cast<FwAssertArgType>(stateMachineId));
-            break;
+            return MSG_DISPATCH_ERROR;
         }
 
         break;