diff --git a/direct/src/directutil/Verify.py b/direct/src/directutil/Verify.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..89d41ec888
--- /dev/null
+++ b/direct/src/directutil/Verify.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+
+
+def verify(assertion):
+    """
+    verify() is intended to be used in place of assert where you
+    wish to have the assertion checked, even in release (-O) code.
+    """
+    if not assertion:
+        print "\n\nverify failed:"
+        import sys
+        print "    File \"%s\", line %d"%(
+                sys._getframe(1).f_code.co_filename,
+                sys._getframe(1).f_lineno)
+        if 1:
+            import pdb
+            pdb.set_trace()
+        raise AssertionError