diff --git a/fs/xfs/Kconfig b/fs/xfs/Kconfig
index 35faf128f36d..1b98cfa342ab 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/Kconfig
+++ b/fs/xfs/Kconfig
@@ -96,3 +96,16 @@ config XFS_DEBUG
 	  not useful unless you are debugging a particular problem.
 
 	  Say N unless you are an XFS developer, or you play one on TV.
+
+config XFS_ASSERT_FATAL
+	bool "XFS fatal asserts"
+	default y
+	depends on XFS_FS && XFS_DEBUG
+	help
+	  Set the default DEBUG mode ASSERT failure behavior.
+
+	  Say Y here to cause DEBUG mode ASSERT failures to result in fatal
+	  errors that BUG() the kernel by default. If you say N, ASSERT failures
+	  result in warnings.
+
+	  This behavior can be modified at runtime via sysfs.
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs.h b/fs/xfs/xfs.h
index a742c47f7d5a..80cd0fd86783 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs.h
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 #define XFS_BUF_LOCK_TRACKING 1
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_XFS_ASSERT_FATAL
+#define XFS_ASSERT_FATAL 1
+#endif
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_XFS_WARN
 #define XFS_WARN 1
 #endif
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_globals.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_globals.c
index 673adf0a40cc..3e1cc3001bcb 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_globals.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_globals.c
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ xfs_param_t xfs_params = {
 
 struct xfs_globals xfs_globals = {
 	.log_recovery_delay	=	0,	/* no delay by default */
-	.bug_on_assert		=	true,	/* historical default in DEBUG
-						 * mode */
+#ifdef XFS_ASSERT_FATAL
+	.bug_on_assert		=	true,	/* assert failures BUG() */
+#else
+	.bug_on_assert		=	false,	/* assert failures WARN() */
+#endif
 };