diff --git a/Zend/zend_compile.c b/Zend/zend_compile.c
index 01c90559db7..5f86710b246 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_compile.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_compile.c
@@ -3426,7 +3426,7 @@ int zend_compile_func_cuf(znode *result, zend_ast_list *args, zend_string *lcnam
 }
 /* }}} */
 
-static int zend_compile_assert(znode *result, zend_ast_list *args, zend_string *name, zend_function *fbc) /* {{{ */
+static void zend_compile_assert(znode *result, zend_ast_list *args, zend_string *name, zend_function *fbc) /* {{{ */
 {
 	if (EG(assertions) >= 0) {
 		znode name_node;
@@ -3469,8 +3469,6 @@ static int zend_compile_assert(znode *result, zend_ast_list *args, zend_string *
 		result->op_type = IS_CONST;
 		ZVAL_TRUE(&result->u.constant);
 	}
-
-	return SUCCESS;
 }
 /* }}} */
 
@@ -3693,10 +3691,6 @@ int zend_try_compile_special_func(znode *result, zend_string *lcname, zend_ast_l
 		return FAILURE;
 	}
 
-	if (zend_string_equals_literal(lcname, "assert")) {
-		return zend_compile_assert(result, args, lcname, fbc);
-	}
-
 	if (CG(compiler_options) & ZEND_COMPILE_NO_BUILTINS) {
 		return FAILURE;
 	}
@@ -3805,8 +3799,16 @@ void zend_compile_call(znode *result, zend_ast *ast, uint32_t type) /* {{{ */
 		zend_op *opline;
 
 		lcname = zend_string_tolower(Z_STR_P(name));
-
 		fbc = zend_hash_find_ptr(CG(function_table), lcname);
+
+		/* Special assert() handling should apply independently of compiler flags. */
+		if (fbc && zend_string_equals_literal(lcname, "assert")) {
+			zend_compile_assert(result, zend_ast_get_list(args_ast), lcname, fbc);
+			zend_string_release(lcname);
+			zval_ptr_dtor(&name_node.u.constant);
+			return;
+		}
+
 		if (!fbc
 			/* Don't use INIT_FCALL for recursive calls */
 		 || (fbc == (zend_function*)CG(active_op_array))