diff --git a/include/SDL_assert.h b/include/SDL_assert.h
index 18430a58a..9cff3dfe8 100644
--- a/include/SDL_assert.h
+++ b/include/SDL_assert.h
@@ -25,8 +25,13 @@
 #define _SDL_assert_h
 
 #ifndef SDL_ASSERT_LEVEL
-#define SDL_ASSERT_LEVEL SDL_DEFAULT_ASSERT_LEVEL
+#if defined(_DEBUG) || defined(DEBUG) || \
+    (defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(__OPTIMIZE__))
+#define SDL_ASSERT_LEVEL 2
+#else
+#define SDL_ASSERT_LEVEL 1
 #endif
+#endif /* SDL_ASSERT_LEVEL */
 
 /*
 sizeof (x) makes the compiler still parse the expression even without