diff --git a/src/common/base/include/base/panic.h b/src/common/base/include/base/panic.h
index 14a12fe9..45323c37 100644
--- a/src/common/base/include/base/panic.h
+++ b/src/common/base/include/base/panic.h
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ CT_BASE_API CT_NORETURN ctu_vpanic(source_info_t location, STA_FORMAT_STRING con
 
 #if CTU_ASSERTS
 #   define CTASSERTF(expr, ...) CTASSERTF_ALWAYS(expr, __VA_ARGS__)
+#elif defined(__cplusplus)
+    // in C++ assume is very picky about the expression
+#   define CTASSERTF(expr, ...) ((void)0)
 #else
 #   define CTASSERTF(expr, ...) CT_ASSUME(expr)
 #endif