diff --git a/src/Stmt.cc b/src/Stmt.cc
index 7eab80a640..e8c4abc9f9 100644
--- a/src/Stmt.cc
+++ b/src/Stmt.cc
@@ -1597,23 +1597,11 @@ ValPtr AssertStmt::Exec(Frame* f, StmtFlowType& flow) {
     if ( ! assert_result || run_result_hook ) {
         zeek::StringValPtr msg_val = zeek::val_mgr->EmptyString();
 
-        if ( msg ) {
-            // Eval() may fail if expression assumes assert
-            // condition is F, but we still try to get it for
-            // the assertion_result hook.
-            try {
-                msg_val = cast_intrusive<zeek::StringVal>(msg->Eval(f));
-            } catch ( InterpreterException& e ) {
-                static ODesc desc;
-                desc.Clear();
-                desc.SetShort(true);
-                desc.SetQuotes(true);
-                desc.Add("<error eval ");
-                msg->Describe(&desc);
-                desc.Add(">");
-                msg_val = zeek::make_intrusive<zeek::StringVal>(desc.Len(), (const char*)desc.Bytes());
-            }
-        }
+        if ( msg )
+            // It's up to the script writing to assure that the expression
+            // works regardless of the state of the condition. If they
+            // fail to do so, they can get an exception at this point.
+            msg_val = cast_intrusive<zeek::StringVal>(msg->Eval(f));
 
         report_assert(assert_result, cond_desc, msg_val, GetLocationInfo());
     }
diff --git a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-7/out b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-7/out
index c28e697ecb..9008a99cda 100644
--- a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-7/out
+++ b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-7/out
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 ### BTest baseline data generated by btest-diff. Do not edit. Use "btest -U/-u" to update. Requires BTest >= 0.63.
-expression error in <...>/assert.zeek, line 10: field value missing (r$b)
-error in <...>/assert.zeek, line 10: assertion failure: r?$b (<error eval fmt("r$b is not set trying anyway: %s", r$b)>)
+expression error in <...>/assert.zeek, line 12: field value missing (r$b)
 fatal error: errors occurred while initializing
diff --git a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/.stderr b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/.stderr
index 13dbb41dae..08f2a26abf 100644
--- a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/.stderr
+++ b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/.stderr
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
 ### BTest baseline data generated by btest-diff. Do not edit. Use "btest -U/-u" to update. Requires BTest >= 0.63.
-expression error in <...>/assert-hook.zeek, line 15: field value missing (get_current_packet_header()$ip)
-expression error in <...>/assert-hook.zeek, line 17: field value missing (get_current_packet_header()$ip)
-error in <...>/assert-hook.zeek, line 17: assertion failure: 2 + 2 == 5 (<error eval cat(get_current_packet_header()$ip)>)
-error in <...>/assert-hook.zeek, line 22: assertion failure: 2 + 2 == 5 ({"msg":"false and works"})
+expression error in <...>/assert-hook.zeek, line 18: field value missing (get_current_packet_header()$ip)
+error in <...>/assert-hook.zeek, line 24: assertion failure: 2 + 2 == 5 ({"msg":"false and works"})
diff --git a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/out b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/out
index 37d07df4b9..19ff952797 100644
--- a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/out
+++ b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.assert-hook-6/out
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
 ### BTest baseline data generated by btest-diff. Do not edit. Use "btest -U/-u" to update. Requires BTest >= 0.63.
-assertion_result, T, 2 + 2 == 4, <error eval cat(get_current_packet_header()$ip)>, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 15
-assertion_result, T, 2 + 2 == 4, {"msg":"true and works"}, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 16
-assertion_result, F, 2 + 2 == 5, <error eval cat(get_current_packet_header()$ip)>, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 17
-assertion_failure, 2 + 2 == 5, <error eval cat(get_current_packet_header()$ip)>, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 17
-assertion_result, F, 2 + 2 == 5, {"msg":"false and works"}, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 22
-assertion_failure, 2 + 2 == 5, {"msg":"false and works"}, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 22
+assertion_result, T, 2 + 2 == 4, {"msg":"true and works"}, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 15
+assertion_result, F, 2 + 2 == 5, {"msg":"false and works"}, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 24
+assertion_failure, 2 + 2 == 5, {"msg":"false and works"}, <...>/assert-hook.zeek, 24
diff --git a/testing/btest/language/assert-hook.zeek b/testing/btest/language/assert-hook.zeek
index 1f107ff70e..0a48363919 100644
--- a/testing/btest/language/assert-hook.zeek
+++ b/testing/btest/language/assert-hook.zeek
@@ -164,9 +164,11 @@ hook assertion_result(result: bool, cond: string, msg: string, bt: Backtrace)
 
 event zeek_init()
 	{
-	assert 2 + 2 == 4, cat(get_current_packet_header()$ip);
 	assert 2 + 2 == 4, to_json([$msg="true and works"]);
-	assert 2 + 2 == 5, cat(get_current_packet_header()$ip);
+	# This next assert will generate a run-time error, exiting the
+	# event handler.
+	assert 2 + 2 == 4, cat(get_current_packet_header()$ip);
+	assert 2 + 2 == 5, "didn't get to here";
 	}
 
 event zeek_done()
diff --git a/testing/btest/language/assert.zeek b/testing/btest/language/assert.zeek
index 79ea8a9096..346af8542f 100644
--- a/testing/btest/language/assert.zeek
+++ b/testing/btest/language/assert.zeek
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ event zeek_init()
 	{
 	local r: MyRecord = [$a=1234];
 	assert ! r?$b, fmt("Unexpected r$b is set to %s", r$b);
+	# This will generate a run-time error, rather than reporting the
+	# failed assertion.
 	assert r?$b, fmt("r$b is not set trying anyway: %s", r$b);
 	}