diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/windows.sh b/.azure-pipelines/windows.sh
index 02a9c168ed..901a9c68d9 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/windows.sh
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/windows.sh
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ fi
 DMD_BIN_PATH="$DMD_DIR/generated/windows/release/${MODEL}/dmd"
 
 cd "${DMD_DIR}/src"
-"${DM_MAKE}" -f "${MAKE_FILE}" reldmd DMD="$DMD_BIN_PATH"
+"${DM_MAKE}" -f "${MAKE_FILE}" reldmd-asserts DMD="$DMD_BIN_PATH"
 
 ################################################################################
 # WORKAROUND: Build zlib separately with DigitalMars make
diff --git a/ci.sh b/ci.sh
index 14c4f3ee21..209404f158 100755
--- a/ci.sh
+++ b/ci.sh
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ clone() {
 # build dmd, druntime, phobos
 build() {
     source ~/dlang/*/activate # activate host compiler
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=$DMD ENABLE_RELEASE=1 ENABLE_WARNINGS=1 all
+    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=$DMD ENABLE_RELEASE=1 ENABLE_ASSERTS=1 ENABLE_WARNINGS=1 all
     make -j$N -C ../druntime -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL
     make -j$N -C ../phobos -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL
     deactivate # deactivate host compiler
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ rebuild() {
     cp $build_path/dmd _${build_path}/host_dmd
     cp $build_path/dmd.conf _${build_path}
     make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=../_${build_path}/host_dmd clean
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=../_${build_path}/host_dmd ENABLE_RELEASE=1 ENABLE_WARNINGS=1 all
+    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=../_${build_path}/host_dmd ENABLE_RELEASE=1 ENABLE_ASSERTS=1 ENABLE_WARNINGS=1 all
 
     # compare binaries to test reproducible build
     if [ $compare -eq 1 ]; then
diff --git a/posix.mak b/posix.mak
index 1491587988..c058e4e598 100644
--- a/posix.mak
+++ b/posix.mak
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ auto-tester-build:
 	echo "Darwin_64_32_disabled"
 else
 auto-tester-build:
-	$(QUIET)$(MAKE) -C src -f posix.mak auto-tester-build ENABLE_RELEASE=1
+	$(QUIET)$(MAKE) -C src -f posix.mak auto-tester-build ENABLE_RELEASE=1 ENABLE_ASSERTS=1
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(findstring Darwin_64_32, $(PWD)))
diff --git a/src/build.d b/src/build.d
index 184b293135..8d9d839223 100755
--- a/src/build.d
+++ b/src/build.d
@@ -99,8 +99,9 @@ BUILD: release (default) | debug (enabled a build with debug instructions)
 
 Opt-in build features:
 
-ENABLE_RELEASE:       Optimized release built
+ENABLE_RELEASE:       Optimized release build
 ENABLE_DEBUG:         Add debug instructions and symbols (set if ENABLE_RELEASE isn't set)
+ENABLE_ASSERTS:       Don't use -release if ENABLE_RELEASE is set
 ENABLE_LTO:           Enable link-time optimizations
 ENABLE_UNITTEST:      Build dmd with unittests (sets ENABLE_COVERAGE=1)
 ENABLE_PROFILE:       Build dmd with a profiling recorder (D)
@@ -1034,7 +1035,9 @@ void processEnvironment()
     }
     if (env.getNumberedBool("ENABLE_RELEASE"))
     {
-        dflags ~= ["-O", "-release", "-inline"];
+        dflags ~= ["-O", "-inline"];
+        if (!env.getNumberedBool("ENABLE_ASSERTS"))
+            dflags ~= ["-release"];
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/src/posix.mak b/src/posix.mak
index 96495b8354..db0bf7625e 100644
--- a/src/posix.mak
+++ b/src/posix.mak
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
 #
 # Opt-in build features:
 #
-# ENABLE_RELEASE:       Optimized release built
+# ENABLE_RELEASE:       Optimized release build
 # ENABLE_DEBUG:         Add debug instructions and symbols (set if ENABLE_RELEASE isn't set)
+# ENABLE_ASSERTS:       Don't use -release if ENABLE_RELEASE is set
 # ENABLE_LTO:           Enable link-time optimizations
 # ENABLE_UNITTEST:      Build dmd with unittests (sets ENABLE_COVERAGE=1)
 # ENABLE_PROFILE:       Build dmd with a profiling recorder (D)
diff --git a/src/win32.mak b/src/win32.mak
index ae2926dd58..137732505a 100644
--- a/src/win32.mak
+++ b/src/win32.mak
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ DMDMAKE=$(MAKE) -fwin32.mak MAKE="$(MAKE)" HOST_DC="$(HOST_DC)" MODEL=$(MODEL) C
 
 ############################### Rule Variables ###############################
 
-RUN_BUILD=$(GEN)\build.exe --called-from-make "OS=$(OS)" "BUILD=$(BUILD)" "MODEL=$(MODEL)" "HOST_DMD=$(HOST_DMD)" "HOST_DC=$(HOST_DC)" "MAKE=$(MAKE)" VERBOSE=$(VERBOSE) "ENABLE_RELEASE=$(ENABLE_RELEASE)" "ENABLE_DEBUG=$(ENABLE_DEBUG)" "ENABLE_UNITTEST=$(ENABLE_UNITTEST)" "ENABLE_PROFILE=$(ENABLE_PROFILE)" "ENABLE_COVERAGE=$(ENABLE_COVERAGE)" "DFLAGS=$(DFLAGS)"
+RUN_BUILD=$(GEN)\build.exe --called-from-make "OS=$(OS)" "BUILD=$(BUILD)" "MODEL=$(MODEL)" "HOST_DMD=$(HOST_DMD)" "HOST_DC=$(HOST_DC)" "MAKE=$(MAKE)" VERBOSE=$(VERBOSE) "ENABLE_RELEASE=$(ENABLE_RELEASE)" "ENABLE_DEBUG=$(ENABLE_DEBUG)" "ENABLE_ASSERTS=$(ENABLE_ASSERTS)" "ENABLE_UNITTEST=$(ENABLE_UNITTEST)" "ENABLE_PROFILE=$(ENABLE_PROFILE)" "ENABLE_COVERAGE=$(ENABLE_COVERAGE)" "DFLAGS=$(DFLAGS)"
 
 ############################## Release Targets ###############################
 
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ defaulttarget: $G debdmd
 
 # FIXME: Windows test suite uses src/dmd.exe instead of $(GENERATED)/dmd.exe
 auto-tester-build: $(GEN)\build.exe
-	$(RUN_BUILD) "ENABLE_RELEASE=1" $@
+	$(RUN_BUILD) "ENABLE_RELEASE=1" "ENABLE_ASSERTS=1" $@
 	copy $(TARGETEXE) .
 
 dmd: $G reldmd
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@ reldmd: check-host-dc reldmd-make
 reldmd-make: $(GEN)\build.exe
 	$(RUN_BUILD) "ENABLE_RELEASE=1" $(TARGETEXE)
 
+reldmd-asserts: check-host-dc reldmd-asserts-make
+
+reldmd-asserts-make: $(GEN)\build.exe
+	$(RUN_BUILD) "ENABLE_RELEASE=1" "ENABLE_ASSERTS=1" $(TARGETEXE)
+
 # Don't use ENABLE_RELEASE=1 to avoid -inline
 profile:
 	$(DMDMAKE) "ENABLE_PROFILE=1" "DFLAGS=-O -release" $(TARGETEXE)
diff --git a/src/win64.mak b/src/win64.mak
index 80d2f666bc..4c1a1524fa 100644
--- a/src/win64.mak
+++ b/src/win64.mak
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ debdmd : $(DEPENDENCIES)
 	$(MAKE_WIN32) $@
 reldmd : $(DEPENDENCIES)
 	$(MAKE_WIN32) $@
+reldmd-asserts : $(DEPENDENCIES)
+	$(MAKE_WIN32) $@
 detab : $(DEPENDENCIES)
 	$(MAKE_WIN32) $@
 tolf : $(DEPENDENCIES)