diff --git a/construct/construct.cc b/construct/construct.cc
index 24df22cb8..e5aaea48a 100644
--- a/construct/construct.cc
+++ b/construct/construct.cc
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ bool no6;
 bool norun;
 bool read_only;
 bool write_avoid;
+bool soft_assert;
 const char *execute;
 std::array<bool, 6> smoketest;
 
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ lgetopt opts[]
 	{ "ro",         &read_only,     lgetopt::BOOL,    "Read-only mode. No writes to database allowed." },
 	{ "wa",         &write_avoid,   lgetopt::BOOL,    "Like read-only mode, but writes permitted if triggered." },
 	{ "smoketest",  &smoketest[0],  lgetopt::BOOL,    "Starts and stops the daemon to return success."},
+	{ "sassert",    &soft_assert,   lgetopt::BOOL,    "Softens assertion effects in debug mode."},
 	{ nullptr,      nullptr,        lgetopt::STRING,  nullptr },
 };
 
@@ -358,4 +360,7 @@ applyargs()
 
 	if(no6)
 		ircd::net::enable_ipv6.set("false");
+
+	if(soft_assert)
+		ircd::soft_assert.set("true");
 }
diff --git a/include/ircd/ircd.h b/include/ircd/ircd.h
index 6bcd792fa..2b8c205a7 100644
--- a/include/ircd/ircd.h
+++ b/include/ircd/ircd.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ namespace ircd
 	extern conf::item<bool> debugmode;
 	extern conf::item<bool> read_only;
 	extern conf::item<bool> write_avoid;
+	extern conf::item<bool> soft_assert;
 }
 
 #endif // HAVE_IRCD_IRCD_H
diff --git a/ircd/assert.cc b/ircd/assert.cc
index add44e82f..7328b7c17 100644
--- a/ircd/assert.cc
+++ b/ircd/assert.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include <RB_INC_SIGNAL_H
 
+#if !defined(NDEBUG) && defined(RB_ASSERT)
 void
 __attribute__((visibility("default")))
 ircd::debugtrap()
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ __assert_fail(const char *__assertion,
 		        __function,
 		        __assertion);
 
+	if(ircd::soft_assert)
+		return;
+
 	if(strcmp(RB_ASSERT, "quit") == 0)
 		ircd::quit();
 
diff --git a/ircd/ircd.cc b/ircd/ircd.cc
index 2d9ac4cbe..48251df36 100644
--- a/ircd/ircd.cc
+++ b/ircd/ircd.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ namespace ircd
 	static void main() noexcept;
 }
 
+decltype(ircd::soft_assert)
+ircd::soft_assert
+{
+	{ "name",     "ircd.soft_assert"  },
+	{ "default",  false               },
+	{ "persist",  false               },
+};
+
 decltype(ircd::write_avoid)
 ircd::write_avoid
 {