diff --git a/core/include/assert.h b/core/include/assert.h
index fe93cde10a5a8450f1fdeb1f97af3e08b61d79cc..f872e0cdc12b92c8ed7d2418762442e6cf357027 100644
--- a/core/include/assert.h
+++ b/core/include/assert.h
@@ -101,10 +101,7 @@ NORETURN void _assert_failure(const char *file, unsigned line);
  *
  * @see http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/functions/assert.html
  */
-#define assert(cond) \
-    if (!(cond)) { \
-        _assert_failure(RIOT_FILE_RELATIVE, __LINE__); \
-    }
+#define assert(cond) ((cond) ? (void)0 :  _assert_failure(RIOT_FILE_RELATIVE, __LINE__))
 #else
 #define assert(cond) ((cond) ? (void)0 : core_panic(PANIC_ASSERT_FAIL, assert_crash_message))
 #endif