diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 13128c9cec..5c2ef7415c 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+7.1.0-dev.692 | 2024-12-06 10:22:07 +0100
+
+  * fix for ZAM "assert" statements potentially evaluating invalid expressions (Vern Paxson, Corelight)
+
 7.1.0-dev.689 | 2024-12-05 13:48:46 -0700
 
   * init-bare: Deprecate tcp_reassembler_ports (Arne Welzel, Corelight)
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 5702ab9253..a50ea1bcac 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-7.1.0-dev.689
+7.1.0-dev.692
diff --git a/src/script_opt/ZAM/Stmt.cc b/src/script_opt/ZAM/Stmt.cc
index 75075dfa86..5877bc4f32 100644
--- a/src/script_opt/ZAM/Stmt.cc
+++ b/src/script_opt/ZAM/Stmt.cc
@@ -1062,6 +1062,9 @@ const ZAMStmt ZAMCompiler::CompileAssert(const AssertStmt* as) {
 
     (void)AddInst(ZInstI(OP_SHOULD_REPORT_ASSERT_VV, decision_slot, cond_slot));
 
+    auto cond_stmt = AddInst(ZInstI(OP_IF_Vb, decision_slot, 0));
+    AddCFT(insts1.back(), CFT_IF);
+
     ZInstI z;
 
     // We don't have a convenient way of directly introducing a std::string
@@ -1085,7 +1088,11 @@ const ZAMStmt ZAMCompiler::CompileAssert(const AssertStmt* as) {
     else
         z = ZInstI(OP_REPORT_ASSERT_VVC, decision_slot, cond_slot, cond_desc_e.get());
 
-    return AddInst(z);
+    auto end_inst = AddInst(z);
+    AddCFT(insts1.back(), CFT_BLOCK_END);
+    SetV(cond_stmt, GoToTargetBeyond(end_inst), 2);
+
+    return end_inst;
 }
 
 const ZAMStmt ZAMCompiler::InitRecord(IDPtr id, RecordType* rt) {
diff --git a/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-6/out b/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-6/out
index e400085e57..4bcf7b428e 100644
--- a/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-6/out
+++ b/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-6/out
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 ### BTest baseline data generated by btest-diff. Do not edit. Use "btest -U/-u" to update. Requires BTest >= 0.63.
-runtime error in <...>/assert.zeek, line 9: field value missing: $b
+error in <...>/assert.zeek, line 10: assertion failure: r?$b (r$b is not set in [a=1234, b=<uninitialized>])
 fatal error: errors occurred while initializing
diff --git a/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-7/out b/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-7/out
index e400085e57..abbfbbf9f7 100644
--- a/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-7/out
+++ b/testing/btest/Baseline.zam/language.assert-7/out
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 ### BTest baseline data generated by btest-diff. Do not edit. Use "btest -U/-u" to update. Requires BTest >= 0.63.
-runtime error in <...>/assert.zeek, line 9: field value missing: $b
+runtime error in <...>/assert.zeek, line 12: field value missing: $b
 fatal error: errors occurred while initializing