diff --git a/lib/checkassert.cpp b/lib/checkassert.cpp
index ab571b1a6..37bc7082a 100644
--- a/lib/checkassert.cpp
+++ b/lib/checkassert.cpp
@@ -59,12 +59,13 @@ void CheckAssert::assertWithSideEffects()
                 continue;
 
             const Function* f = tmp->function();
-            if (f->nestedIn->isClassOrStruct() && !f->isStatic() && !f->isConst()) {
-                sideEffectInAssertError(tmp, f->name()); // Non-const member function called
+            const Scope* scope = f->functionScope;
+            if (!scope) {
+                // guess that const method doesn't have side effects
+                if (f->nestedIn->isClassOrStruct() && !f->isConst() && !f->isStatic())
+                    sideEffectInAssertError(tmp, f->name()); // Non-const member function called, assume it has side effects
                 continue;
             }
-            const Scope* scope = f->functionScope;
-            if (!scope) continue;
 
             for (const Token *tok2 = scope->bodyStart; tok2 != scope->bodyEnd; tok2 = tok2->next()) {
                 if (!tok2->isAssignmentOp() && tok2->tokType() != Token::eIncDecOp)
diff --git a/test/testassert.cpp b/test/testassert.cpp
index 07fa34d05..64c5c43ea 100644
--- a/test/testassert.cpp
+++ b/test/testassert.cpp
@@ -133,6 +133,17 @@ private:
               "   assert( !SquarePack::isRank1Or8(push2) );\n"
               "}");
         ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
+
+        check("struct Geometry {\n"
+              "    int nbv;\n"
+              "    int empty() { return (nbv == 0); }\n"
+              "    void ReadGeometry();\n"
+              "};\n"
+              "\n"
+              "void Geometry::ReadGeometry() {\n"
+              "    assert(empty());\n"
+              "}");
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
     }
 
     void memberFunctionCallInAssert() {
@@ -145,7 +156,7 @@ private:
         ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.cpp:5]: (warning) Assert statement calls a function which may have desired side effects: 'Foo'.\n", errout.str());
 
         check("struct SquarePack {\n"
-              "   void Foo() const;\n"
+              "   int Foo() const;\n"
               "};\n"
               "void foo(SquarePack* s) {\n"
               "   assert( s->Foo() );\n"
@@ -153,7 +164,7 @@ private:
         ASSERT_EQUALS("", errout.str());
 
         check("struct SquarePack {\n"
-              "   static void Foo();\n"
+              "   static int Foo();\n"
               "};\n"
               "void foo(SquarePack* s) {\n"
               "   assert( s->Foo() );\n"