diff --git a/srcpkgs/imv/template b/srcpkgs/imv/template
index 1599b72f2b4..97ec386b693 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/imv/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/imv/template
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 # Template file for 'imv'
 pkgname=imv
 version=4.4.0
-revision=1
+revision=2
 build_style=meson
+# don't define NDEBUG since assert(3) is used to detect error conditions
+# (e.g.: https://git.sr.ht/~exec64/imv/tree/v4.4.0/item/src/x11_window.c#L109
+# and https://git.sr.ht/~exec64/imv/tree/v4.4.0/item/src/wl_window.c#L673)
+configure_args="-Db_ndebug=false"
 hostmakedepends="asciidoc pkg-config cmake"
 makedepends="cmocka-devel freeimage-devel glu-devel librsvg-devel libheif-devel libxkbcommon-devel
  pango-devel wayland-devel inih-devel"