2 files changed, 4 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 04aa011cec..9f7028fef5 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ What's New in Python 2.7.3?
 Core and Builtins
 -----------------
 
+- Issue #13268: Fix the assert statement when a tuple is passed as the message.
+
 - Issue #13018: Fix reference leaks in error paths in dictobject.c.
   Patch by Suman Saha.
 
diff --git a/Python/compile.c b/Python/compile.c
index 9440cec0ba..119c60f9b2 100644
--- a/Python/compile.c
+++ b/Python/compile.c
@@ -2079,11 +2079,9 @@ compiler_assert(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
     ADDOP_O(c, LOAD_GLOBAL, assertion_error, names);
     if (s->v.Assert.msg) {
         VISIT(c, expr, s->v.Assert.msg);
-        ADDOP_I(c, RAISE_VARARGS, 2);
-    }
-    else {
-        ADDOP_I(c, RAISE_VARARGS, 1);
+        ADDOP_I(c, CALL_FUNCTION, 1);
     }
+    ADDOP_I(c, RAISE_VARARGS, 1);
     compiler_use_next_block(c, end);
     return 1;
 }