diff --git a/util/ego/share/debug.c b/util/ego/share/debug.c
index 0ad0fefc4..81080f7cf 100644
--- a/util/ego/share/debug.c
+++ b/util/ego/share/debug.c
@@ -65,11 +65,6 @@ void OUTVERBOSE(const char *s, int n1, int n2)
 
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
-badassertion(file,line) char *file; unsigned line; {
-
-	fprintf(stderr,"assertion failed file %s, line %u\n",file,line);
-	error("assertion");
-}
 /* Valid Address */
 
 void VA(short *a) {
diff --git a/util/ego/share/debug.h b/util/ego/share/debug.h
index c1a732a3f..98cb6e868 100644
--- a/util/ego/share/debug.h
+++ b/util/ego/share/debug.h
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ void OUTVERBOSE(const char *, int, int);
 
 #define STATIC
 
-#define assert(x) if(!(x)) badassertion(__FILE__,__LINE__)
-
 void VI(short);
 void VL(line_p);
 void VD(dblock_p);
@@ -43,11 +41,10 @@ void VA(short *);
 void VO(obj_p);
 void VP(proc_p);
 
-
-
 #else /*DEBUG*/
 
-#define assert(b)
+#define STATIC static
+#define NDEBUG /* disable assert() */
 
 #define VI(i)
 #define VL(l)
@@ -56,6 +53,6 @@ void VP(proc_p);
 #define VO(o)
 #define VP(p)
 
-
-#define STATIC static
 #endif
+
+#include <assert.h>