diff --git a/subsys/debug/Kconfig b/subsys/debug/Kconfig
index cbbc69117..fe98449c4 100644
--- a/subsys/debug/Kconfig
+++ b/subsys/debug/Kconfig
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ config EARLY_CONSOLE
 config ASSERT
        bool
        prompt "Enable __ASSERT() macro"
+       default y if TEST
        default n
        help
          This enables the __ASSERT() macro in the kernel code. If an assertion