diff --git a/lib/libspl/Makefile.am b/lib/libspl/Makefile.am
index b3d9ee79c3..ad34c3588c 100644
--- a/lib/libspl/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/libspl/Makefile.am
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ AM_CFLAGS += $(LIBTIRPC_CFLAGS)
 AM_CCASFLAGS = \
 	$(CFLAGS)
 
-noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libspl.la
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libspl_assert.la libspl.la
+
+libspl_assert_la_SOURCES = \
+	assert.c
 
 USER_C = \
 	list.c \
@@ -49,4 +52,7 @@ libspl_la_SOURCES = \
 	$(USER_C) \
 	$(TARGET_CPU_ATOMIC_SOURCE)
 
-libspl_la_LIBADD = -lrt $(LIBTIRPC_LIBS)
+libspl_la_LIBADD = \
+	libspl_assert.la
+
+libspl_la_LIBADD += -lrt $(LIBTIRPC_LIBS)
diff --git a/lib/libspl/assert.c b/lib/libspl/assert.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..94290ae13e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/libspl/assert.c
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * CDDL HEADER START
+ *
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the terms of the
+ * Common Development and Distribution License (the "License").
+ * You may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ *
+ * You can obtain a copy of the license at usr/src/OPENSOLARIS.LICENSE
+ * or http://www.opensolaris.org/os/licensing.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions
+ * and limitations under the License.
+ *
+ * When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL HEADER in each
+ * file and include the License file at usr/src/OPENSOLARIS.LICENSE.
+ * If applicable, add the following below this CDDL HEADER, with the
+ * fields enclosed by brackets "[]" replaced with your own identifying
+ * information: Portions Copyright [yyyy] [name of copyright owner]
+ *
+ * CDDL HEADER END
+ */
+/*
+ * Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Use is subject to license terms.
+ */
+
+#include <assert.h>
+
+int aok = 0;
+
+/* printf version of libspl_assert */
+void
+libspl_assertf(const char *file, const char *func, int line,
+    const char *format, ...)
+{
+	va_list args;
+
+	va_start(args, format);
+	vfprintf(stderr, format, args);
+	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "ASSERT at %s:%d:%s()", file, line, func);
+	va_end(args);
+	if (aok) {
+		return;
+	}
+	abort();
+}
diff --git a/lib/libspl/include/assert.h b/lib/libspl/include/assert.h
index 6f80f13348..0503ce4921 100644
--- a/lib/libspl/include/assert.h
+++ b/lib/libspl/include/assert.h
@@ -33,37 +33,18 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
-#ifndef _KERNEL
+/* Set to non-zero to avoid abort()ing on an assertion failure */
 extern int aok;
-#endif
+
+/* printf version of libspl_assert */
+extern void libspl_assertf(const char *file, const char *func, int line,
+    const char *format, ...);
 
 static inline int
 libspl_assert(const char *buf, const char *file, const char *func, int line)
 {
-	fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", buf);
-	fprintf(stderr, "ASSERT at %s:%d:%s()", file, line, func);
-	if (aok) {
-		return (0);
-	}
-	abort();
-}
-
-/* printf version of libspl_assert */
-static inline void
-libspl_assertf(const char *file, const char *func, int line,
-    const char *format, ...)
-{
-	va_list args;
-
-	va_start(args, format);
-	vfprintf(stderr, format, args);
-	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-	fprintf(stderr, "ASSERT at %s:%d:%s()", file, line, func);
-	va_end(args);
-	if (aok) {
-		return;
-	}
-	abort();
+	libspl_assertf(file, func, line, "%s", buf);
+	return (0);
 }
 
 #ifdef verify
diff --git a/lib/libspl/zone.c b/lib/libspl/zone.c
index 4a0e600ca3..5ca93b224d 100644
--- a/lib/libspl/zone.c
+++ b/lib/libspl/zone.c
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-int aok = 0;
-
 zoneid_t
 getzoneid()
 {
diff --git a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/Makefile.am b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/Makefile.am
index a8eb41331f..7cd15324e2 100644
--- a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 include $(top_srcdir)/config/Rules.am
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -I$(top_srcdir)/include
-LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libicp/libicp.la
+LDADD = \
+	$(top_builddir)/lib/libicp/libicp.la \
+	$(top_builddir)/lib/libspl/libspl_assert.la
 
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
 
diff --git a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/edonr_test.c b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/edonr_test.c
index 3c676c91f8..a88756091e 100644
--- a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/edonr_test.c
+++ b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/checksum/edonr_test.c
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <sys/stdtypes.h>
 
-int aok = 0;
-
 /*
  * Test messages from:
  * http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/ST/toolkit/documents/Examples/SHA_All.pdf