diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
index cf52270efac17..77a4f2c4cb201 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/core/build_steps/test.rs
@@ -1827,6 +1827,10 @@ NOTE: if you're sure you want to do this, please open an issue as to why. In the
 
         cmd.arg("--json");
 
+        if builder.config.rust_debug_assertions_std {
+            cmd.arg("--with-debug-assertions");
+        };
+
         let mut llvm_components_passed = false;
         let mut copts_passed = false;
         if builder.config.llvm_enabled() {
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
index e7d2e1aab3a1c..e85f6319936bf 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ pub struct Config {
     /// Run ignored tests
     pub run_ignored: bool,
 
+    /// Whether to run tests with `ignore-debug` header
+    pub with_debug_assertions: bool,
+
     /// Only run tests that match these filters
     pub filters: Vec<String>,
 
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/cfg.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/cfg.rs
index 3a1b9dff3a6b5..e2a04b7e55882 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/cfg.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/header/cfg.rs
@@ -190,8 +190,8 @@ pub(super) fn parse_cfg_name_directive<'a>(
     }
     condition! {
         name: "debug",
-        condition: cfg!(debug_assertions),
-        message: "when building with debug assertions",
+        condition: config.with_debug_assertions,
+        message: "when running tests with `ignore-debug` header",
     }
     condition! {
         name: config.debugger.as_ref().map(|d| d.to_str()),
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/lib.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/lib.rs
index bb09c03ef5b72..5a80b9121f063 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/lib.rs
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ pub fn parse_config(args: Vec<String>) -> Config {
         )
         .optopt("", "run", "whether to execute run-* tests", "auto | always | never")
         .optflag("", "ignored", "run tests marked as ignored")
+        .optflag("", "with-debug-assertions", "whether to run tests with `ignore-debug` header")
         .optmulti("", "skip", "skip tests matching SUBSTRING. Can be passed multiple times", "SUBSTRING")
         .optflag("", "exact", "filters match exactly")
         .optopt(
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ pub fn parse_config(args: Vec<String>) -> Config {
 
     let src_base = opt_path(matches, "src-base");
     let run_ignored = matches.opt_present("ignored");
+    let with_debug_assertions = matches.opt_present("with-debug-assertions");
     let mode = matches.opt_str("mode").unwrap().parse().expect("invalid mode");
     let has_tidy = if mode == Mode::Rustdoc {
         Command::new("tidy")
@@ -238,6 +240,7 @@ pub fn parse_config(args: Vec<String>) -> Config {
         suite: matches.opt_str("suite").unwrap(),
         debugger: None,
         run_ignored,
+        with_debug_assertions,
         filters: matches.free.clone(),
         skip: matches.opt_strs("skip"),
         filter_exact: matches.opt_present("exact"),