diff --git a/step-generation/src/__tests__/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.test.ts b/step-generation/src/__tests__/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.test.ts
index 928a3eb281e..d24ed0a4c21 100644
--- a/step-generation/src/__tests__/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.test.ts
+++ b/step-generation/src/__tests__/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.test.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@ import merge from 'lodash/merge'
 import omit from 'lodash/omit'
 import produce from 'immer'
 import { createEmptyLiquidState, createTipLiquidState } from '../utils'
-import { makeContext, DEFAULT_PIPETTE, SOURCE_LABWARE } from '../fixtures'
+import {
+  makeContext,
+  DEFAULT_PIPETTE,
+  SOURCE_LABWARE,
+  getInitialRobotStateStandard,
+} from '../fixtures'
 
 import {
   dispenseUpdateLiquidState,
@@ -33,6 +38,10 @@ beforeEach(() => {
     useFullVolume: false,
     labwareId: SOURCE_LABWARE,
     wellName: 'A1',
+    robotStateAndWarnings: {
+      robotState: getInitialRobotStateStandard(invariantContext),
+      warnings: [],
+    },
   }
 })
 
@@ -396,6 +405,10 @@ describe('...8-channel pipette', () => {
             useFullVolume: false,
             volume: 150,
             wellName: 'A1',
+            robotStateAndWarnings: {
+              robotState: getInitialRobotStateStandard(invariantContext),
+              warnings: [],
+            },
           },
           initialLiquidState
         )
diff --git a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.ts b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.ts
index cf27f155d05..84d26e219c1 100644
--- a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.ts
+++ b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/dispenseUpdateLiquidState.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import assert from 'assert'
 import mapValues from 'lodash/mapValues'
 import reduce from 'lodash/reduce'
+import { COLUMN } from '@opentrons/shared-data'
 import {
   splitLiquid,
   mergeLiquid,
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ import type {
   InvariantContext,
   LocationLiquidState,
   SourceAndDest,
+  RobotStateAndWarnings,
 } from '../types'
+
 type LiquidState = RobotState['liquidState']
 export interface DispenseUpdateLiquidStateArgs {
   invariantContext: InvariantContext
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ export interface DispenseUpdateLiquidStateArgs {
   pipetteId: string
   // volume value is required when useFullVolume is false
   useFullVolume: boolean
+  robotStateAndWarnings: RobotStateAndWarnings
   wellName?: string
   labwareId?: string
   volume?: number
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@ export function dispenseUpdateLiquidState(
   args: DispenseUpdateLiquidStateArgs
 ): void {
   const {
+    robotStateAndWarnings,
     invariantContext,
     labwareId,
     pipetteId,
@@ -39,6 +43,8 @@ export function dispenseUpdateLiquidState(
     wellName,
   } = args
   const pipetteSpec = invariantContext.pipetteEntities[pipetteId].spec
+  const nozzles = robotStateAndWarnings.robotState.pipettes[pipetteId].nozzles
+  const channels = nozzles === COLUMN ? 8 : pipetteSpec.channels
   const trashId = Object.values(
     invariantContext.additionalEquipmentEntities
   ).find(aE => aE.name === 'wasteChute' || aE.name === 'trashBin')?.id
@@ -59,17 +65,17 @@ export function dispenseUpdateLiquidState(
   const labwareDef =
     labwareId != null ? invariantContext.labwareEntities[labwareId].def : null
 
-  assert(
+  console.assert(
     !(useFullVolume && typeof volume === 'number'),
     'dispenseUpdateLiquidState takes either `volume` or `useFullVolume`, but got both'
   )
-  assert(
+  console.assert(
     typeof volume === 'number' || useFullVolume,
     'in dispenseUpdateLiquidState, either volume or useFullVolume are required'
   )
   const { wellsForTips, allWellsShared } =
     labwareDef != null && wellName != null
-      ? getWellsForTips(pipetteSpec.channels, labwareDef, wellName)
+      ? getWellsForTips(channels, labwareDef, wellName)
       : { wellsForTips: null, allWellsShared: true }
 
   const liquidLabware =
diff --git a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forAspirate.ts b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forAspirate.ts
index 62cd0348ded..e8572dd77fc 100644
--- a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forAspirate.ts
+++ b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forAspirate.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import assert from 'assert'
 import range from 'lodash/range'
 import isEmpty from 'lodash/isEmpty'
 import uniq from 'lodash/uniq'
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ export function forAspirate(
     params.wellName
   )
 
-  assert(
+  console.assert(
     // @ts-expect-error (sa, 2021-05-03): this assert is unnecessary
     uniq(wellsForTips).length === allWellsShared ? 1 : wellsForTips.length,
     `expected all wells to be shared, or no wells to be shared. Got: ${JSON.stringify(
diff --git a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forBlowout.ts b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forBlowout.ts
index 2bcffe0bc23..13a2470854e 100644
--- a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forBlowout.ts
+++ b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forBlowout.ts
@@ -15,5 +15,6 @@ export function forBlowout(
     wellName,
     prevLiquidState: robotState.liquidState,
     invariantContext,
+    robotStateAndWarnings,
   })
 }
diff --git a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDispense.ts b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDispense.ts
index 8b08591ea84..6ffaa3da814 100644
--- a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDispense.ts
+++ b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDispense.ts
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ export function forDispense(
     useFullVolume: false,
     volume,
     wellName,
+    robotStateAndWarnings,
   })
 }
diff --git a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDropTip.ts b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDropTip.ts
index 7ada991f2e4..d389b50f9ff 100644
--- a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDropTip.ts
+++ b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/forDropTip.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export function forDropTip(
     labwareId,
     useFullVolume: true,
     wellName,
+    robotStateAndWarnings,
   })
   robotState.tipState.pipettes[pipetteId] = false
 }
diff --git a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/inPlaceCommandUpdates.ts b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/inPlaceCommandUpdates.ts
index e14b1b37344..18cb8ead615 100644
--- a/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/inPlaceCommandUpdates.ts
+++ b/step-generation/src/getNextRobotStateAndWarnings/inPlaceCommandUpdates.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export const forDispenseInPlace = (
     prevLiquidState: robotState.liquidState,
     useFullVolume: false,
     volume,
+    robotStateAndWarnings,
   })
 }
 
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export const forBlowOutInPlace = (
     pipetteId,
     prevLiquidState: robotState.liquidState,
     useFullVolume: true,
+    robotStateAndWarnings,
   })
 }
 
@@ -59,5 +61,6 @@ export const forDropTipInPlace = (
     prevLiquidState: robotState.liquidState,
     pipetteId,
     useFullVolume: true,
+    robotStateAndWarnings,
   })
 }