diff --git a/README-maintainer.md b/README-maintainer.md
index 73c5efd..3da387a 100644
--- a/README-maintainer.md
+++ b/README-maintainer.md
@@ -209,6 +209,11 @@ Building docs from pull requests is also enabled.
     This requires inclusion of 'assert_debug.h' or 'Util.hh'. Remember
     that these (except for 'qpdf_static_expect') are only checked in
     debug builds.
+  * Use 'util::assertion' when checks should also be carried out in
+    release code in preference to throwing logic_errors directly
+    unless it is practical and desirable to test violations during
+    CI testing. This avoids obscuring genuine gaps in coverage with
+    noise generated by unreachable sanity checks.
 
   These rules are enforced by the check-assert test. This practices
   serves to
diff --git a/libqpdf/qpdf/Util.hh b/libqpdf/qpdf/Util.hh
index d641e9c..d812fdf 100644
--- a/libqpdf/qpdf/Util.hh
+++ b/libqpdf/qpdf/Util.hh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include <qpdf/assert_debug.h>
 
+#include <stdexcept>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
 
@@ -12,6 +13,17 @@ namespace qpdf::util
     // inline functions, some of which are exposed as regular functions in QUtil. Implementations
     // are in QUtil.cc.
 
+    // Throw a logic_error if 'cond' does not hold.
+    //
+    // DO NOT USE unless it is impractical or unnecessary to cover violations during CI Testing.
+    inline void
+    assertion(bool cond, std::string const msg)
+    {
+        if (!cond) {
+            throw std::logic_error(msg);
+        }
+    }
+
     inline constexpr char
     hex_decode_char(char digit)
     {