diff --git a/Source/CNTK/CNTK.cpp b/Source/CNTK/CNTK.cpp
index 1bc14737e..258d41539 100644
--- a/Source/CNTK/CNTK.cpp
+++ b/Source/CNTK/CNTK.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 #define _CRT_NONSTDC_NO_DEPRECATE // make VS accept POSIX functions without _
 
 #include "stdafx.h"
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#include <crtdbg.h>
+#endif 
+
 #include "Basics.h"
 #include "Actions.h"
 #include "ComputationNetwork.h"
@@ -687,7 +691,6 @@ int wmainOldCNTKConfig(int argc, wchar_t* argv[])
         fprintf(stderr, "%*s%ls", i > 0 ? 2 : 0, "", argv[i]); // use 2 spaces for better visual separability
     fprintf(stderr, "\n\n");
 
-#if 1 //def _DEBUG
     // This simply merges all the different config parameters specified (eg, via config files or via command line directly),
     // and prints it.
     fprintf(stderr, "\n\n");
@@ -708,7 +711,6 @@ int wmainOldCNTKConfig(int argc, wchar_t* argv[])
     LOGPRINTF(stderr, ">>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> PROCESSED CONFIG WITH ALL VARIABLES RESOLVED >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>\n");
     config.dumpWithResolvedVariables();
     LOGPRINTF(stderr, "<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< PROCESSED CONFIG WITH ALL VARIABLES RESOLVED <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<\n");
-#endif
 
     LOGPRINTF(stderr, "Commands:");
     for (int i = 0; i < command.size(); i++)
@@ -828,15 +830,38 @@ static void LogDelayLoadError(PEXCEPTION_POINTERS pExcPointers)
     }
 }
 
+#if _DEBUG
+// in case of asserts in debug mode, print the message into stderr and throw exception
+int HandleDebugAssert(int,               // reportType  - ignoring reportType, printing message and aborting for all reportTypes
+                      char *message,     // message     - fully assembled debug user message
+                      int * returnValue) // returnValue - retVal value of zero continues execution
+{
+    fprintf(stderr, "C-Runtime: %s\n", message);
+
+    if (returnValue) {
+        *returnValue = 0;   // return value of 0 will continue operation and NOT start the debugger
+    }
+
+    return TRUE;            // returning TRUE will make sure no message box is displayed
+}
+#endif
+
 int wmain(int argc, wchar_t* argv[]) // wmain wrapper that reports Win32 exceptions
 {
     set_terminate(TerminateThis);    // insert a termination handler to ensure stderr gets flushed before actually terminating
-    _set_error_mode(_OUT_TO_STDERR); // make sure there are no CRT prompts when CNTK is executing
 
-    // Note: this does not seem to work--processes with this seem to just hang instead of terminating
     __try
     {
-        return wmain1(argc, argv);
+        // in case of asserts in debug mode, print the message into stderr and throw exception
+        if (_CrtSetReportHook2(_CRT_RPTHOOK_INSTALL, HandleDebugAssert) == -1) {
+            LOGPRINTF(stderr, "CNTK: _CrtSetReportHook2 failed.\n");
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        int mainReturn = wmain1(argc, argv);
+        _CrtSetReportHook2(_CRT_RPTHOOK_REMOVE, HandleDebugAssert);
+
+        return mainReturn;
     }
     __except (LogDelayLoadError(GetExceptionInformation()), EXCEPTION_EXECUTE_HANDLER)
     {
diff --git a/Source/Math/GPUMatrix.cu b/Source/Math/GPUMatrix.cu
index ac26db042..21ee5e885 100644
--- a/Source/Math/GPUMatrix.cu
+++ b/Source/Math/GPUMatrix.cu
@@ -3232,7 +3232,7 @@ void GPUMatrix<ElemType>::BatchNormalizationForward(const GPUMatrix<ElemType>& s
                                                Data(), out.Data(),
                                                scale.Data(), bias.Data(),
                                                runMean.Data(), runInvStdDev.Data(), GetStream());
-        assert(saveMean.IsEmpty() && saveInvStdDev.IsEmpty()); // (these are not produced in this case)
+        // CNTK engine returns saveMean and saveInvStdDev empty, but cnDNN engine does not.
     }
 }