diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 40f33a4..f7d8cab 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -450,6 +450,7 @@
     - git fetch --unshallow
     - cmake -B aom_example_build
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
+        -DENABLE_ASSERTS=1
         -DENABLE_EXAMPLES=1
         -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=0
     - cmake --build aom_example_build
@@ -488,6 +489,7 @@
       SANITIZER_BLACKLIST_FLAG="-fsanitize-blacklist=${PWD}/${SANITIZER_IGNORES_FILE}"
 
       CMAKE_FLAGS="$CMAKE_FLAGS -DSANITIZE=${AOM_SANITIZER_TYPE}"
+      CMAKE_FLAGS="$CMAKE_FLAGS -DENABLE_ASSERTS=1"
       CMAKE_FLAGS="$CMAKE_FLAGS -DAOM_EXTRA_C_FLAGS=${SANITIZER_BLACKLIST_FLAG}"
       CMAKE_FLAGS="$CMAKE_FLAGS -DAOM_EXTRA_CXX_FLAGS=${SANITIZER_BLACKLIST_FLAG}"
       echo "CMake Flags: $CMAKE_FLAGS"
diff --git a/build/cmake/aom_configure.cmake b/build/cmake/aom_configure.cmake
index b1f413e..7b16ec3 100644
--- a/build/cmake/aom_configure.cmake
+++ b/build/cmake/aom_configure.cmake
@@ -330,6 +330,10 @@
     add_compiler_flag_if_supported("-Werror")
   endif()
 
+  if(ENABLE_ASSERTS)
+    add_compiler_flag_if_supported("-UNDEBUG")
+  endif()
+
   if("${build_type_lowercase}" MATCHES "rel")
     add_compiler_flag_if_supported("-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=0")
   endif()