diff --git a/epan/wmem/wmem_array.c b/epan/wmem/wmem_array.c
index 1badfdd4bd..ced7e62f81 100644
--- a/epan/wmem/wmem_array.c
+++ b/epan/wmem/wmem_array.c
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ wmem_array_append(wmem_array_t *array, const void *in, guint count)
 void *
 wmem_array_index(wmem_array_t *array, guint array_index)
 {
-    ws_assert(array_index < array->elem_count);
+    ws_assert_bounds(array_index < array->elem_count);
     return &array->buf[array_index * array->elem_size];
 }
 
diff --git a/wsutil/ws_assert.h b/wsutil/ws_assert.h
index 6c2373bf95..2ffa559617 100644
--- a/wsutil/ws_assert.h
+++ b/wsutil/ws_assert.h
@@ -43,4 +43,9 @@ WS_NORETURN void ws_assert_not_reached(void) {
     abort();
 };
 
+/* ws_assert_bounds() is always enabled. For bounds check where the array
+ * size is known sometimes it's just not worth disabling assertions.
+ */
+#define ws_assert_bounds(expr) g_assert_true(expr)
+
 #endif /* __WS_ASSERT_H__ */