diff --git a/src/screen.c b/src/screen.c
index 0b117cd..6e907cd 100644
--- a/src/screen.c
+++ b/src/screen.c
@@ -2490,7 +2490,8 @@
 {
     if ((emsg_on_display || (check_msg_scroll && msg_scroll))
 	    && !did_wait_return
-	    && emsg_silent == 0)
+	    && emsg_silent == 0
+	    && !in_assert_fails)
     {
 	out_flush();
 	ui_delay(1006L, TRUE);