diff --git a/decor/counters.go b/decor/counters.go
index 5e26324..6bcee79 100644
--- a/decor/counters.go
+++ b/decor/counters.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 // CountersNoUnit is a wrapper around Counters with no unit param.
@@ -41,8 +40,6 @@
 func Counters(unit interface{}, pairFmt string, wcc ...WC) Decorator {
 	if pairFmt == "" {
 		pairFmt = "%d / %d"
-	} else if strings.Count(pairFmt, "%") != 2 {
-		panic("expected pairFmt with exactly 2 verbs")
 	}
 	producer := func() DecorFunc {
 		switch unit.(type) {
@@ -99,8 +96,6 @@
 func Total(unit interface{}, format string, wcc ...WC) Decorator {
 	if format == "" {
 		format = "%d"
-	} else if strings.Count(format, "%") != 1 {
-		panic("expected format with exactly 1 verb")
 	}
 	producer := func() DecorFunc {
 		switch unit.(type) {
@@ -157,8 +152,6 @@
 func Current(unit interface{}, format string, wcc ...WC) Decorator {
 	if format == "" {
 		format = "%d"
-	} else if strings.Count(format, "%") != 1 {
-		panic("expected format with exactly 1 verb")
 	}
 	producer := func() DecorFunc {
 		switch unit.(type) {
@@ -215,8 +208,6 @@
 func InvertedCurrent(unit interface{}, format string, wcc ...WC) Decorator {
 	if format == "" {
 		format = "%d"
-	} else if strings.Count(format, "%") != 1 {
-		panic("expected format with exactly 1 verb")
 	}
 	producer := func() DecorFunc {
 		switch unit.(type) {
diff --git a/decor/speed.go b/decor/speed.go
index 448aac7..60ffefb 100644
--- a/decor/speed.go
+++ b/decor/speed.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"math"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/VividCortex/ewma"
@@ -70,8 +69,6 @@
 func MovingAverageSpeed(unit interface{}, format string, average ewma.MovingAverage, wcc ...WC) Decorator {
 	if format == "" {
 		format = "%.0f"
-	} else if strings.Count(format, "%") != 1 {
-		panic("expected format with exactly 1 verb")
 	}
 	d := &movingAverageSpeed{
 		WC:       initWC(wcc...),
@@ -133,8 +130,6 @@
 func NewAverageSpeed(unit interface{}, format string, startTime time.Time, wcc ...WC) Decorator {
 	if format == "" {
 		format = "%.0f"
-	} else if strings.Count(format, "%") != 1 {
-		panic("expected format with exactly 1 verb")
 	}
 	d := &averageSpeed{
 		WC:        initWC(wcc...),