diff --git a/tvix/eval/src/compiler.rs b/tvix/eval/src/compiler.rs
index 193b4a0f3..27e917c54 100644
--- a/tvix/eval/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/tvix/eval/src/compiler.rs
@@ -170,6 +170,11 @@ impl Compiler {
                 self.compile_with(node)
             }
 
+            rnix::SyntaxKind::NODE_ASSERT => {
+                let node = rnix::types::Assert::cast(node).unwrap();
+                self.compile_assert(node)
+            }
+
             kind => panic!("visiting unsupported node: {:?}", kind),
         }
     }
@@ -795,6 +800,17 @@ impl Compiler {
         self.compile(node.body().unwrap())
     }
 
+    fn compile_assert(&mut self, node: rnix::types::Assert) -> EvalResult<()> {
+        // Compile the assertion condition to leave its value on the stack.
+        self.compile(node.condition().unwrap())?;
+        self.chunk.push_op(OpCode::OpAssert);
+
+        // The runtime will abort evaluation at this point if the
+        // assertion failed, if not the body simply continues on like
+        // normal.
+        self.compile(node.body().unwrap())
+    }
+
     // Emit the literal string value of an identifier. Required for
     // several operations related to attribute sets, where identifiers
     // are used as string keys.
diff --git a/tvix/eval/src/errors.rs b/tvix/eval/src/errors.rs
index 07ee8a4c7..03f22306e 100644
--- a/tvix/eval/src/errors.rs
+++ b/tvix/eval/src/errors.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ pub enum Error {
     UnknownDynamicVariable(String),
 
     ParseErrors(Vec<rnix::parser::ParseError>),
+
+    AssertionFailed,
 }
 
 impl Display for Error {
diff --git a/tvix/eval/src/opcode.rs b/tvix/eval/src/opcode.rs
index 7dcfea93a..cda3fdf26 100644
--- a/tvix/eval/src/opcode.rs
+++ b/tvix/eval/src/opcode.rs
@@ -72,4 +72,7 @@ pub enum OpCode {
 
     // Close scopes while leaving their expression value around.
     OpCloseScope(usize), // number of locals to pop
+
+    // Asserts stack top is a boolean, and true.
+    OpAssert,
 }
diff --git a/tvix/eval/src/vm.rs b/tvix/eval/src/vm.rs
index 09e3aa247..e088d2277 100644
--- a/tvix/eval/src/vm.rs
+++ b/tvix/eval/src/vm.rs
@@ -304,6 +304,12 @@ impl VM {
 
                     return Err(Error::UnknownDynamicVariable(ident.to_string()));
                 }
+
+                OpCode::OpAssert => {
+                    if !self.pop().as_bool()? {
+                        return Err(Error::AssertionFailed);
+                    }
+                }
             }
 
             #[cfg(feature = "disassembler")]