diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/AssertionsJVM.kt b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/AssertionsJVM.kt
index e4210cb2404..c1e17d607a1 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/AssertionsJVM.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/AssertionsJVM.kt
@@ -6,10 +6,19 @@ private object _Assertions
 deprecated("Must be public to make assert() inlinable")
 public val ASSERTIONS_ENABLED: Boolean = _Assertions.javaClass.desiredAssertionStatus()
 
+/**
+ * Throws an [AssertionError] if the [value] is false
+ * and runtime assertions have been enabled on the JVM using the *-ea* JVM option.
+ */
+public fun assert(value: Boolean) {
+    assert(value) { "Assertion failed" }
+}
+
 /**
 * Throws an [AssertionError] with an optional [message] if the [value] is false
 * and runtime assertions have been enabled on the JVM using the *-ea* JVM option.
 */
+@deprecated("Use assert with lazy message instead.", ReplaceWith("assert(value) { message }"))
 public fun assert(value: Boolean, message: Any = "Assertion failed") {
     if (ASSERTIONS_ENABLED) {
         if (!value) {