diff --git a/sim/verilator/Makefile b/sim/verilator/Makefile
index 326c397de4..6a6ad267ad 100644
--- a/sim/verilator/Makefile
+++ b/sim/verilator/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ SHELL := /bin/bash
 .PHONY: profile run questa clean
 
 # verilator configurations
-OPT=
+OPT=--assert
 PARAMS?=--no-trace-top
 NONPROF?=--stats
 VERILATOR_DIR=${WALLY}/sim/verilator