diff --git a/src/lib/libexceptions.js b/src/lib/libexceptions.js
index 4f763f63ae80f..5596827f15a2d 100644
--- a/src/lib/libexceptions.js
+++ b/src/lib/libexceptions.js
@@ -345,14 +345,25 @@ var LibraryExceptions = {
   },
 
 #elif !DISABLE_EXCEPTION_CATCHING
-  $incrementExceptionRefcount__deps: ['__cxa_increment_exception_refcount'],
-  $incrementExceptionRefcount: (ptr) => ___cxa_increment_exception_refcount(ptr),
+  // When EXCEPTION_STACK_TRACES is set, the exception is an instance of
+  // CppException, whereas EXCEPTION_STACK_TRACES is unset it is a raw pointer.
+  $exnToPtr: (exn) => {
+#if EXCEPTION_STACK_TRACES
+    if (exn instanceof CppException) {
+      return exn.excPtr;
+    }
+#endif
+    return exn;
+  },
+
+  $incrementExceptionRefcount__deps: ['$exnToPtr', '__cxa_increment_exception_refcount'],
+  $incrementExceptionRefcount: (exn) => ___cxa_increment_exception_refcount(exnToPtr(exn)),
 
-  $decrementExceptionRefcount__deps: ['__cxa_decrement_exception_refcount'],
-  $decrementExceptionRefcount: (ptr) => ___cxa_decrement_exception_refcount(ptr),
+  $decrementExceptionRefcount__deps: ['$exnToPtr', '__cxa_decrement_exception_refcount'],
+  $decrementExceptionRefcount: (exn) => ___cxa_decrement_exception_refcount(exnToPtr(exn)),
 
-  $getExceptionMessage__deps: ['$getExceptionMessageCommon'],
-  $getExceptionMessage: (ptr) => getExceptionMessageCommon(ptr),
+  $getExceptionMessage__deps: ['$exnToPtr', '$getExceptionMessageCommon'],
+  $getExceptionMessage: (exn) => getExceptionMessageCommon(exnToPtr(exn)),
 
 #endif
 };
diff --git a/test/test_core.py b/test/test_core.py
index e48cb67f309f5..f62335a23f6b9 100644
--- a/test/test_core.py
+++ b/test/test_core.py
@@ -1508,7 +1508,6 @@ def test_exceptions_rethrow_missing(self):
 
   @with_all_eh_sjlj
   def test_EXPORT_EXCEPTION_HANDLING_HELPERS(self):
-    self.set_setting('ASSERTIONS', 0)
     self.set_setting('EXPORT_EXCEPTION_HANDLING_HELPERS')
 
     self.maybe_closure()