diff --git a/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts b/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts
index 8ed99bf0a0..c60014c8c4 100644
--- a/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts
+++ b/editors/code/src/installation/download_artifact.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import * as vscode from "vscode";
 import * as path from "path";
 import { promises as fs } from "fs";
-import { strict as assert } from "assert";
 
 import { ArtifactReleaseInfo } from "./interfaces";
 import { downloadFile } from "./download_file";
+import { assert } from "../util";
 
 /**
  * Downloads artifact from given `downloadUrl`.
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export async function downloadArtifact(
     installationDir: string,
     displayName: string,
 ) {
-    await fs.mkdir(installationDir).catch(err => assert.strictEqual(
+    await fs.mkdir(installationDir).catch(err => assert.eq(
         err?.code,
         "EEXIST",
         `Couldn't create directory "${installationDir}" to download ` +
diff --git a/editors/code/src/util.ts b/editors/code/src/util.ts
index 733bdc8c58..5a5f11a108 100644
--- a/editors/code/src/util.ts
+++ b/editors/code/src/util.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,16 @@ export function assert(condition: unknown, explanation: string): asserts conditi
     }
 }
 
+assert.eq = <T>(bibba: unknown, bobba: T, explanation: string): asserts bibba is T => {
+    try {
+        nativeAssert.strictEqual(bibba, bobba, explanation);
+    } catch (err) {
+        log.error(`Equality assertion failed:`, explanation);
+        throw err;
+    }
+}
+
+
 export const log = {
     enabled: true,
     debug(message?: any, ...optionalParams: any[]): void {