diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp
index d69d4e8804..29d014afd1 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmstore.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,28 @@ namespace MWWorld
         {
         };
 
+        struct RecNameIntChar
+        {
+            char name[6];
+            RecNameIntChar(ESM::RecNameInts recName)
+            {
+                unsigned int FourCC = recName & ~ESM::sEsm4RecnameFlag; // Removes the flag
+                name[0] = FourCC & 0xFF;
+                name[1] = (FourCC >> 8) & 0xFF;
+                name[2] = (FourCC >> 16) & 0xFF;
+                name[3] = (FourCC >> 24) & 0xFF;
+                if (ESM::isESM4Rec(recName))
+                {
+                    name[4] = '4';
+                    name[5] = '\0';
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    name[4] = '\0';
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
         template <typename T>
         static bool typedReadRecordESM4(ESM4::Reader& reader, Store<T>& store)
         {
@@ -239,7 +261,11 @@ namespace MWWorld
             {
                 const unsigned int recordIdCount
                     = std::apply([](auto&&... x) { return (hasSameRecordId(x, T::sRecordId) + ...); }, stores);
-                assert(recordIdCount == 1);
+                if (recordIdCount != 1)
+                {
+                    throw std::runtime_error(
+                        "The same RecNameInt is used twice ESM::REC_" + std::string(RecNameIntChar(T::sRecordId).name));
+                }
             }
         }