diff --git a/llvm/lib/TableGen/Error.cpp b/llvm/lib/TableGen/Error.cpp
index dabb265ef80ca1..4b99ff89da3b93 100644
--- a/llvm/lib/TableGen/Error.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/TableGen/Error.cpp
@@ -173,8 +173,11 @@ void CheckAssert(SMLoc Loc, Init *Condition, Init *Message) {
 // Dump a message to stderr.
 void dumpMessage(SMLoc Loc, Init *Message) {
   auto *MessageInit = dyn_cast<StringInit>(Message);
-  assert(MessageInit && "no debug message to print");
-  PrintNote(Loc, MessageInit->getValue());
+  if (!MessageInit) {
+    PrintError(Loc, "dump value is not of type string");
+  } else {
+    PrintNote(Loc, MessageInit->getValue());
+  }
 }
 
 } // end namespace llvm