diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 34a8a27..14c5c57 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -91,3 +91,6 @@ set_property(TEST unresolved_field.frank PROPERTY WILL_FAIL true)
 set_property(TEST unresolved_global.frank PROPERTY WILL_FAIL true)
 set_property(TEST unresolved_name.frank PROPERTY WILL_FAIL true)
 set_property(TEST func_no_return.frank PROPERTY WILL_FAIL true)
+set_property(TEST assert_lrc_bad_1.frank PROPERTY WILL_FAIL true)
+set_property(TEST assert_lrc_bad_2.frank PROPERTY WILL_FAIL true)
+set_property(TEST assert_lrc_bad_3.frank PROPERTY WILL_FAIL true)
diff --git a/src/rt/core/builtin.cc b/src/rt/core/builtin.cc
index fb28da2..fc7fb7f 100644
--- a/src/rt/core/builtin.cc
+++ b/src/rt/core/builtin.cc
@@ -390,11 +390,91 @@ namespace rt::core
       });
   }
 
+  void assert_rc__function_impl(
+    verona::interpreter::FrameObj* frame, size_t args, bool assert_lrc)
+    {
+    std::string option;  
+    if (assert_lrc)
+    {
+      option = "lrc";
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      option = "sbrc";
+    }
+    
+    
+    if (args != 2)
+    {
+      std::stringstream ss;
+      ss << "assert_" << option << " expected 2 arguments";
+      ui::error(ss.str());
+    }
+
+    auto count_str = frame->stack_pop("count_str");
+    auto bridge = frame->stack_pop("bridge");
+    // Make sure we're comparing the correct LRC value
+    rt::remove_reference(frame->object(), bridge);
+    if (count_str->get_prototype() != stringPrototypeObject())
+    {
+      ui::error("given count is not a string", count_str);
+    }
+    auto region = objects::get_region(bridge);
+    if (region->bridge != bridge)
+    {
+      std::stringstream ss;
+      ss << bridge << " is not the bridge object of the region";
+      ui::error(ss.str(), bridge);
+    }
+    // Remove string object whitespace
+    auto s = count_str->get_name();
+    if (s[0] == '\"')
+    {
+      s.erase(0, 1);
+      s.erase(s.size() - 1);
+    }
+    auto count = std::stoi(s);
+    size_t actual;
+    if (assert_lrc)
+    {
+      actual = rt::objects::get_region(bridge)->local_reference_count; 
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      actual = rt::objects::get_region(bridge)->sub_region_reference_count; 
+    }
+    if (actual !=  count)
+    {
+      std::stringstream ss;
+      ss <<  "count: " << count << " did not match " << option << ": " << actual;
+      auto msg = ss.str();
+      ui::error(msg, bridge);
+    }
+
+    rt::remove_reference(frame->object(), count_str);
+  };
+
+  void test_builtins()
+  {
+    // Onus is on caller to provide a string object representing an actual integer 
+    // Fixme: 
+    // Refactor once integers are implemented
+    add_builtin("assert_lrc", [](auto frame, auto args) {
+      assert_rc__function_impl(frame, args, true);
+      return std::nullopt;
+    });
+    add_builtin("assert_sbrc", [](auto frame, auto args) {
+      assert_rc__function_impl(frame, args, false);
+      return std::nullopt;
+    });
+  } 
+
   void init_builtins(ui::UI* ui)
   {
     mermaid_builtins(ui);
     ctor_builtins();
     action_builtins();
     pragma_builtins();
+    test_builtins();
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_1.frank b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_1.frank
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97b45f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_1.frank
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Feels incorrect to utilize frank-tests for builtins
+# that are meant to be utilized for frank-tests...
+r1 = Region()
+# Give r1 a LRC of 2
+a = {} 
+r1.a = a
+# Using string object
+expected = "2"
+assert_lrc(r1, expected)
+# Using string directly
+assert_lrc(r1, "2")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_1.frank b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_1.frank
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a822e81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_1.frank
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Not a bridge
+a = {}
+assert_lrc(a, "2")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_2.frank b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_2.frank
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa163a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_2.frank
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Not a string
+a = {}
+assert_lrc(a, a)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_3.frank b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_3.frank
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ec49f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/builtin_test/assert_lrc_bad_3.frank
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+r1 = Region()
+expected = "2"
+# LRC is only 1
+assert_lrc(r1, expected)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/regions/merge5.frank b/tests/regions/merge5.frank
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6c29de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regions/merge5.frank
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+r1 = Region()
+r2 = Region()
+r1.r2 = r2
+
+assert_sbrc(r1, "1")
+r2 = None
+assert_sbrc(r1, "0")
+assert_lrc(r1.r2, "0")
+
+# Edge case where r2 does not contribute to sbrc of r1
+# Assure that lrc is unchanged
+assert_lrc(r1, "1")
+merge(r1.r2, r1)
+assert_lrc(r1, "1")
\ No newline at end of file